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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25550839">Oolong &amp; Maple</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyYellow/pseuds/rawwrrr'>rawwrrr (ladyYellow)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band), SuperM (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Implied/Referenced Sex, Living Together, M/M, Marriage, Married Couple, Random situations, Science, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, eventual wedding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:55:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>34,252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25550839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyYellow/pseuds/rawwrrr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark and Yukhei met at Toronto's University.<br/>Since then they're together, living a simple domestic life.</p><p>Or <i>the domestic tales of Mark, a math teacher trying to get his DMath degree, and Yukhei, a programmer that develops biomedical software.</i></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark Lee/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>222</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. [ s m a l l h a n d s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The beginning of <i>Oolong &amp; Maple</i> stories.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yukhei and Mark met each other in ‘Introduction to Computer Science’, a shared class they had to take in their first year of college, even when they were in different majors.</p><p>They chose to sit in the same row of the classroom, and Yukhei remembers Mark giving him a judgmental look at his brand new American Eagle hoodie as he pushed his gold-framed glasses over the bridge of his nose. What he doesn’t remember though, it is when he did the pout that made Mark smile at him before they introduced each other.</p><p>Yukhei was tall, with a heavy accented English since he came from Hong Kong to study Bioinformatics in Toronto’s University (from time to time, even after all this time, Yukhei's accent surges out of nowhere and reminds Mark of when they were young).</p><p>Mark moved from Vancouver, where his family still lives, to study Mathematics (not that there wasn’t a program in Vancouver’s University, but he liked this program better).</p><p>Mark’s first impression of Yukhei was that he didn’t fit into the stereotype of a guy that made it into Bioinformatics (a selective program with limited places), but somehow it made sense. On the other hand, Yukhei thought Mark looked like the typical geek who would study Math, with his round glasses and his worn out vans matching the color of his jacket. Still, to Yukhei, he looked too innocent for his own good.</p><p> </p><p>As their classes advanced, Yukhei and Mark started to spend more time together.</p><p>At first, they found each other from time to time in the library (Yukhei spent lots of hours in the Biology section, who absurdly enough was in front of the Math section), but then they purposefully started to visit the library to see the other, and when it couldn’t be more obvious, Mark asked Yukhei if he wanted to study with him. Yukhei played cool and accepted it.</p><p>Even when they shared some classes, there were only a few subjects that they could study together. Computer programming was something Yukhei was good at so he helped Mark with it, and Mark had a lot of patience to review the basics of algebra so Yukhei could understand differential calculus (Mark solved a few exercises with him, even when he wasn’t taking Calculus at that time).</p><p>Then, they started to see each other for non-studying purposes. Mark invited Yukhei to the cafeteria one day to share lunch together, and suddenly that became part of their routine too. Mark waited for Yukhei outside the classroom where he took Chemical Principles every Wednesday and Thursday, and Yukhei picked him up from Algebra punctually, every Friday at six p.m.</p><p> </p><p>On one of those days, Yukhei helped Mark with his backpack as he was tying the lace of his signature red vans and he hung it on his shoulder. Then Mark started to walk as if nothing happened, and Yukhei completely forgot he had Mark’s backpack with him.</p><p>They arrived at the cafeteria and Mark ordered their usual, but then he couldn’t find his backpack. Yukhei can’t stop laughing every time he remembers their faces paling when they thought they had lost it forever, only to then realize Yukhei had it with him all the time.</p><p>But it also got stuck.</p><p>Yukhei liked to help Mark with his stuff. He was always carrying a pile of heavy books and a coffee (as soon as he got closer to Yukhei, it turned into two coffees), and he looked so tiny behind them... Yukhei thought he was being a good friend, but deep inside his mind he hoped Mark saw him as a gentleman.</p><p> </p><p>They kept their routine until the end of semester, when both presented their exams. Mark asked Yukhei to come with him for a coffee and the taller thought they were going to the campus cafeteria, but he was quite surprised when they left the campus.</p><p>“Where are we going?” Mark offered him an amused look as they walked together to that place, with his hands hiding in their jackets because of the cold weather (it wasn’t snowing yet, but Mark guesses it would happen soon). “Mark?”</p><p>“Be patient, man. We’re close” Yukhei didn't ask anything else, choosing to focus on the surroundings in case he wanted to come back here later.</p><p> </p><p>Two blocks later, Mark held the door open for Yukhei. Yukhei froze in place for a second, just realizing Mark had been a gentleman to him too.</p><p>"Aren't you getting in, dude?" Mark cocked an eyebrow before Yukhei nodded and went in, followed by Mark. He liked the place, warm and cozy. Mark certainly had good taste. “The usual, right?” Mark asked as he left to the counter, not waiting for an answer while Yukhei picked a table at the corner of the place.</p><p> </p><p>Mark walked to their table, telling the other their coffee would arrive soon. Yukhei couldn’t stop staring at him and, for the very first time in months, he took his sweet time to process the picture in front of him.</p><p>He’d been thinking about Mark for months, but pushing the thought aside in favor of focusing on his classes, but it was almost impossible, given the amount of time they spend together then.</p><p>Yukhei thought Mark looked adorable in his outfit (and any other outfit he wore, who was he kidding?), that hasn’t changed that much from the outfit he met him with, but he’s then including extra layers of clothes.</p><p>Mark took off his scarf, his puffy jacket and his gloves to be more comfortable. He hung the jacket at the back of the chair, along with the scarf and placed the gloves over the table. Yukhei couldn't take his eyes off his hands, wondering if they would fit perfectly with his.</p><p>“Hey Mark, your hands...” he commented before his brain to mouth filter worked “They’re kinda small” he smiled sheepishly, trying to calm himself.</p><p>“Really?” Mark inspected his hands, blinking confused “I guess they are”</p><p>“Look at mine" Yukhei thought this was a now or never moment "A-are they bigger?” Yukhei hesitantly offered Mark his shaking hands “Should we compa-” Mark chuckled, pressing their palms together and a second later he intertwined his fingers with Yukhei’s. The taller blushed deeply.</p><p>“If you wanted to hold my hands you could’ve just asked, dude”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p><i>Yay! Second NCT story~</i><br/> <br/>I know it is waaaay too early to post something for Mark's birthday, but I wanted to do a multi-chapter story.<br/>I found this on my folder of prompts and I thought 'why not?'<br/>I hope you all like it~</p><p>Thank you so much for reading!<br/>Please, take care, and let's read us soon ❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. [ t o o m u c h w o r d s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mark talks too much.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark is the kind of person that talks and talks and talks. It is something that hasn't changed with the time, and it has been Mark's haunting ghost since he was just a toddler.</p><p>Back when he was younger, his teachers always placed him at the very front of the class, where he couldn't talk to anyone (or so his teachers thought, because Mark still managed to <em> talk).</em> He didn't stop in college either, where he talked in whispers with Yukhei about how he should pay attention to class (even when Yukhei was just doing that before Mark talked to him) or how bored he was.</p><p>Mark loves Yukhei, that's unquestionable for everyone. Not just because he's chill and funny, nor because he's intelligent (even if he doesn't show so most of the time), nor because he has a good body, nor because his deep voice always turns him into a puddle of goo... above all that, God bless his sweet soul, he's been able to bear Mark's constant chatting for <em>years</em> now.</p><p> </p><p>Mark tries to find where Yukhei parked the car as soon as he gets out of the university building. He can't find their black Civic, so he watches at his phone, wondering if Yukhei sent him a message that he would be late to picking him up and he didn't read it. But nothing.</p><p>It's raining, and Mark doesn't like when his glasses get wet because he can't see properly, so covering them with his hands, he sighs and gets ready to take a step outside the roof protecting him from the weather, to see if Yukhei is already here.</p><p>"Where are you going, <em>Mork?"</em> Mark jumps startled when Yukhei kisses his cheek behind him, holding a salmon umbrella for him. He rolls his eyes at the nickname that got stuck for some stupid joke Yukhei did a while ago (something involving not using the letter ‘a’ in a phrase... <em> Ridiculous, </em> he knows).</p><p>"I was going to look for you" he says, rolling his eyes and Yukhei laughs "Where were you? Something in the lab happened?" Yukhei shakes his head.</p><p>"This street is crowded, I couldn't find a place... I had to park at the other corner" Mark hums.</p><p>"I don't like my glasses getting wet, dude"</p><p>"I know" Yukhei covers Mark with his own jacket and Mark accepts it mindlessly while they start to walk to their car.</p><p>"It's just... Like... Do you know how hard it is to clean them after they are stained by raindrops?" Yukhei knows where this is going, Mark tells this every single time it rains and they're outside. “Like... They get all foggy. It’s seriously annoying” Yukhei hums as they walk in a steady pace to their car. Mark allows Yukhei to guide him, as he rambles more and more about the rain and his glasses “I miss wearing contact glasses, it was way much simpler” he complains.</p><p>“Didn’t like... Your eyes hurt or something?” Yukhei adds, knowing when to input something to Mark’s endless speech.</p><p>“Oh man, you’re right. I always got red eyes after wearing them for too long. It’s like... When you’re in the swimming pool, and the chlorine is too much. Your eyes sting” Yukhei chuckles softly, as he pulls Mark closer to his body, fitting perfectly under the umbrella. “When are we going to the swimming pool again?” Yukhei laughs this time.</p><p>“You know I go every Tuesday and Thursday. It’s you the one who said it was too cold for swimming, <em> Mork”  </em>Mark pushes him slightly with no heat. “You’re welcome to come with me again any time”</p><p>“I miss swimming, but I hate that I can’t see without my glasses. I’ve been thinking... Have I told you I want to order swim goggles with my prescription?” Yukhei nods because Mark has been telling him this for two months already, he just talks too much after that that he doesn't remember it. “Would they be expensive, though? Like... I don’t earn a lot of money with the few classes I give here, dude”</p><p>“It’s ok, I’ll buy them for you if you want”</p><p><em>“What?!</em> No way, you already pay the cat’s expenses, the groceries and the Internet. There’s no way I'll allow you to humiliate me like this anymore” Yukhei stops, with an unreadable expression.</p><p>“Ah, now I’m humiliating you? Excuse me, <em>Dr. Lee,</em> it wasn’t my intention to offend you” Yukhei adds with feigned hurt. Mark blushes, and slaps his shoulder.</p><p>“Shut up, I’m not a doctor yet”</p><p><em>“Yet.</em> Speaking of which, you haven’t told me what your students did that made you so angry” Mark pouts and Yukhei thinks he looks adorable, even when he’s already twenty eight years old.</p><p>“It was a disaster. I mean, they understood limits perfectly, and they understood areas under the curve. I just don’t know why they keep forgetting to add the constant after solving an integral-”</p><p>“Oh no, <em>the horror”</em> the taller man says with an amused tone.</p><p>“I know, man! I wanted to bang my head against the desk. Even you weren’t such a disaster”</p><p>“Even <em> me?”</em> Yukhei cocks an eyebrow, but Mark completely ignores him. Yukhei lets it slip because they reached their car “Get your mathematical ass inside the car now, <em> Mork”  </em>the alarm beeps and Mark opens the door. Yukhei, loving and caring as he always is, waits for his fiancé to enter the car and then close the door, as the gentleman he wanted to be for Mark when they were just hungry college students.</p><p>Yukhei walks to his door, closing the umbrella to get inside. In the car, Mark is staring at him with fond eyes and Yukhei removes uncomfortable. He places the wet umbrella under his seat and buckles his seatbelt under Mark’s attentive gaze.</p><p>“What?” he asks, nervous. Mark just leans to give him a proper kiss, licking his lips and all.</p><p>“Nothing” Mark acts as if nothing happened, shrugging his shoulders before he buckles his own seatbelt. “I missed you, Yukhei” Yukhei releases the air he was holding when he starts to drive, without looking at his partner. Mark closes his eyes satisfied when he sees the smile forming on Yukhei’s lips.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>
  <i>I saw a lovely salmon umbrella at Walmart, but I didn't buy it because mine works perfectly fine.</i>
</p><p>It's oficially August!<br/>I'm enjoying very much writing about these two and their domestic dynamics. Don't you think they're adorable?<br/>~~~<br/>Thank you so much for reading, please take care and let's read us soon ❤️❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. [ n o t e s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Plans for Mark's birthday.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy birthday to my dearest boy, Mark! ♥</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yukhei wakes up early to prepare Mark’s birthday. He kind of feels bad because he needs to leave for work on his special day, when all he wanted to do was stay with his fiancé at home. Mark told him it was not a big deal, and not to make a big fuss about it, but Yukhei can’t help it.</p><p>Instead of complaining, he used that energy in something productive. He decided that he was going to surprise Mark and he spent the whole week planning it.</p><p>Mark doesn’t like fancy places nor crowded parties, so when talking about celebrating his birthday, a private date in one of their favorite restaurants is the way to go. However, Yukhei still bought a small cake for his significant other that he somehow managed to hide in the fridge, and he looked for recipes for breakfast. Maybe a traditional Canadian breakfast would make his Canadian boy happy.</p><p> </p><p>Right now, when he’s barely awake and regretting every and each one of his life’s choices, Yukhei is taking out eggs and sausages to cook something for the birthday boy.</p><p>He yawns as he turns on the stove.</p><p>He feels lucky his mom taught him how to cook and follow recipes when he still lived in Hong Kong (speaking of her, <em> should they visit his parents soon?), </em> not that Mark doesn’t know how to cook... But he prefers to spoil him, rather than Mark spoiling him (though Mark cooks wonderfully).</p><p>Aquarelle stares at him with tired eyes, yawning from time to time. Yukhei feeds her with small pieces of cold sausages, so she doesn't make noises and ends up waking Mark.</p><p>In the table, along with the eggs and sausages, he places some toasts and the small individual cake, with a note by its side. He places a steaming mug of green tea he knows the younger enjoys, and the gift he bought (nothing too fancy, just a Gryffindor mug he found on the Internet and he knows Mark has been wanting it), neatly wrapped in blue metallic paper.</p><p>Aquarelle meows, asking her owner for food and Yukhei checks his phone. <em> Damn, he's late already. </em> He serves some food for the cat, before he runs to get ready into their room.</p><p>He almost feels bad for interrupting Mark's sleep, however he doesn't have to worry about that. Given the amount of work he's been having, waking him up would be hard. Yukhei thinks he looks adorable in those white basketball shorts he stole from Yukhei and one of his own hoodies.</p><p>As if breaking the spell, Mark snores softly and Yukhei blinks away his amazement as he digs into the drawers to find a decent shirt to wear at work today (advantages of not having a strict dress code).</p><p>He takes a paper from Mark's bedside table (he always has something to write because ideas for solving his equations often come at very odd hours, like in the middle of the night, or in the dead ass morning, when everyone is sleeping) and he writes something for him, before giving him a quick peck and leaving.</p><p>"Have a good day, 'Hei" Mark mumbles, still half asleep, but the taller knows he won't be like this for much longer, which gives him enough time to flee away.</p><p> </p><p>About five minutes later, Mark is already out of the bed, clearly pissed.</p><p>"Man, why can't I sleep for longer?" he rubs his eyes trying to focus the figures in the room, to find out, as always, everything is blurred. And something else too. On his forehead, taped with pastel pink tape (Yukhei needs to stop buying pastel colored stuff) it is a note.</p><p>To read it, Mark needs to find his glasses first, which would be easier if he can just see (his fiancé is the one who usually hands him his glasses). They're at the bedside table, thank God.</p><p>
  <em> Dinner at 7 at the sirloin? I'll be your date, pick something nice to wear. I'll pick you up at 6.30. Yours, YH. </em>
</p><p>He blushes and saves the note in the drawer destined for the romantic details they have for one another. And he gets ready for his lazy day. No thesis, no classes. Just him, his playstation and his cat. <em> Can this day be any better? </em></p><p> </p><p>Mark enters into the kitchen to find his breakfast already served on the counter and he blushes once again. <em> Aish, this man. </em> Yukhei still surprises him every single time, he knows he wasn't wrong in picking him as his other half for the rest of their lives.</p><p>Aquarelle meows to her other owner, asking for more food.</p><p>"No, young lady. I know for sure your father already gave you food, so I won't give you mine. Do you want some of your food? That I can give you-" Aquarelle meows offended before she leaves "Whatever"</p><p>Mark takes his sweet time enjoying his breakfast, his boyfriend certainly knows him well. The tea is just as he likes it, and the small cake is one of his favorites. Things like these make him fall more in love with Yukhei.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Enjoy your breakfast, birthday boy. I already fed Aquarelle, don't let her fool you. Love you ♥ </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>"Hello?" Mark answers the phone on speaker, as he gets out of the shower.</p><p>
  <em> "Mark? Babe? Are you okay?" </em>
</p><p>"Just taking a shower" Mark knows Yukhei is smiling at the other side of the line.</p><p>
  <em> “Ah, so I assume you got my note?” </em>
</p><p>“Of course I got it" Mark answers, turning off the speaker and placing his phone against his ear because he finished showering "You taped it to my forehead while I was sleeping” Yukhei laughs, and Mark can't help but smile too. "What should I wear?"</p><p><em> "We're going to the buffet, nothing too fancy" </em> Mark's eyes shine with sparkles. He loves the buffet.</p><p>At first, when they were just boyfriends, the money wasn't enough for them to go anywhere on special occasions, things haven't been the easiest for them. However, the first time Yukhei took Mark out, he brought him to that place and it was a total success.</p><p>Mark ate everything that was in front of him (in small portions, obviously), with Yukhei following him closely. Gosh, Mark swears they served themselves food like six or seven times that night.</p><p>"Good. Are we going to do something else?"</p><p><em> "Your birthday, baby boy. You pick" </em> Yukhei uses a soft tone.</p><p>"I'm not a baby"</p><p><em> "Oh, my bad, sir. Still, you pick what to do after. I'll pick you up in..." </em> he watches the clock on the wall<em> "About an hour?" </em></p><p>"Sounds great to me"</p><p><em> "I'll see you then, </em> Mork. <em> Love you~" </em></p><p>"Love you, bye" </p><p><em>"Bye~"</em> he hangs up the phone, with his heart racing. He's sweating and he wonders why, after so many years, he still feels as nervous as the first time he went on a date with Yukhei.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Mark and Yukhei give me the vibes that they would be the kind of boyfriends who are also best friends, don't you think?<br/>Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and enjoying this ride with me~<br/>Let's read us soon, please take care~<br/>♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. [ w a r m t o u c h ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yukhei gets a fever and Mark <i>tries</i> to take care of him.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"I'm going to die" Yukhei whines with a horribly hoarse voice, wrapped in blankets like a burrito, and with dirty tissue papers scattered all over the floor. "Mark, baby, you must know that I love you. And half of my fortune is for you, 'Relle will have the other"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark rolls his eyes and he gives his cat a desperate look. Aquarelle, their carey cat, curls her tail, watching at Yukhei from a safe distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yukhei, if you just let me take your temperature-" Yukhei shrieks when Mark tries to touch his forehead with his hand. Mark looks at the ceiling, praying to any god that hears him to give him strength to bear with this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no, no. You're cold" Yukhei sobs and Mark feels his eye twitching. He didn't sign up for this when he accepted to live with Yukhei in their second year of college. But to be honest, Yukhei rarely catches a cold. It is Mark the one who tends to get ill more often, however Mark is unsurprisingly more easy to deal with than his dramatic boyfriend (he just sleeps through his sickness after taking a pill).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yukhei, I'm serious. You're sweating too much-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Baby... No, please" Mark has the thermometer on his hand, ready to take Yukhei's temperature (it's not like he has to unwrap himself from his blanket since it's an ear thermometer). "Markie... I don't wanna" he pouts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you always like this?" the youngest complains, leaving the thermometer on the bedside table "Ok, I won’t take your temperature, but you need to go to the doctor, dude" the other shakes his head "No? So, can I take your temperature now?" he shakes his head again "You're impossible. You know, for someone who knows biology, you're a bothersome patient" Mark doesn't understand the string of words that comes out of his partner's mouth after that. “What was that?” the man in the bed mumbles something more, covering his head with the blankets and Mark has had enough “Yukhei, for God’s sake. It’s just a flu, not the black death”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark pulls the blankets to uncover him and Yukhei shivers instantly. Mark tries not to take pity on his fiancé, because he knows that as vulnerable as he looks, he still needs to confirm Yukhei is running a fever, and he needs to go to the doctor right away, depending on how bad this is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mark, please- It’s cold” Mark knows. Yukhei is completely drenched in sweat, if that’s any indication of how high his temperature is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yukhei, no” Mark, on the contrary to his fiancé, becomes very strict with him when he’s sick. Yukhei tends to spoil Mark, but that’s only because Mark doesn’t complain about having to take medicine or having to go to the doctor. “You develop software to detect diseases and you don’t want me to take your temperature. You’re being absurd” it has been like this the five or six times Yukhei has been sick during these six years living together. “You’re like a three year old kid”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ ‘m not” Yukhei complains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark doesn’t argue with him anymore, thinking about what he should do now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei is falling asleep again, and Mark is already late for his class. He rubs his temples as he sighs. He then touches his own cheek with the back of his hand. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is he really that cold? </span>
  </em>
  <span>His hands feel a tiny bit on the cold side of the spectrum. He closes his eyes, thinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re about to get a doctorate, Mark. Think of a way to find out if Yukhei has a fever.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sits on the bed, and then he leans to touch Yukhei’s forehead with his cheek. As suspected, Yukhei has fever and now there are two, no, three ways of proceeding. One: taking Yukhei to the doctor, which to Mark is the most logical option. Two: cold water shower to stop the fever, but if he can’t take him out of the blankets, it is less likely to drag him to the bathroom and undress him. Three: giving him an aspirin to reduce the fever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What should I do?” Mark asks Aquarelle, but his cat just jumps off the top of the drawer. “You’re right, we gotta go visit Johnny”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark tries to hide his face under his hood when they’re waiting at the hospital. Yukhei, a 1.83m tall man, wrapped in a pastel pink cozy blanket, is almost falling asleep on the poor Mark. Half of his torso rests on Mark’s legs, while his legs are occupying an extra chair (Mark is sure he already kicked the lady by his side once).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next one?” Mark almost pushes Yukhei out of his lap, and with a strength he doesn’t know he has, drags him into the doctor’s office, not without apologizing to the woman. She just smiles at him softly. “Mark, glad to see you’re not the one sick this time. It’s always good to see you in good health” his doctor, Johnny, is a good friend of theirs. “Tell me how long has it been this time” Yukhei resists being a patient with every fiber of his being.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This morning, but I think it’s pretty bad this time. He fell asleep as soon as I pushed him into the co-driver seat”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me see. Did you check his temperature?” Mark shakes his head “I imagined”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, dealing with him is awful” Johnny nods, trying not to think what Mark will have to suffer after he sends them home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yukhei, you have to open your mouth for me” Johnny asks and Yukhei barely opens it “That will be enough, thanks” just a mere second after that, Johnny explains Mark “He has a pretty nasty infection in his throat” Mark looks mortified, because that means Yukhei will be like this for days “Sorry, man”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok, it’s not your fault” Johnny keeps checking Yukhei, to see if the infection has spread to his ears. “Injections, right?” Mark tries not to sound frustrated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if you want him to be better as soon as possible, I’d highly suggest that”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark is thankful Johnny gave Yukhei the first shot at the hospital. When they returned, Mark just gave him food, the pills prescribed and sent him off to sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the morning, he just has to wake Yukhei before he has to leave for his class at the university. He’ll just inject him the next dose and he will allow him to sleep the rest of the day (at least until he comes back). But it is easier said than done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that Yukhei feels better, he is trying to convince Mark to just let him sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The doctor said you needed to complete the treatment-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to yourself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I’ll tell Johnny how you called him”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wong Yukhei, you’re getting this injection before I leave and you won’t make me arrive late. I already lost one lesson because of you”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But baby, it hurts...” Yukhei pouts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t ‘baby’ me, and lower your pants now”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kinky~”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yukhei!” Mark blushes and Yukhei laughs breathlessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On it, boss” the mathematician holds the prepared syringe and gets ready. Yukhei hisses when the needle pierces his skin, he feels Mark sticking out his tongue in concentration even when he can’t see him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you glad you taught me how to inject?” Mark removes the needle and presses the cotton soaked in alcohol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have an idea”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark helps Yukhei to get into the bed again and before he leaves, he presses a quick kiss on his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you be fine?” Yukhei nods, already falling asleep again “Call me if you need anything”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for reading!<br/>Take care and read us soon, shall we?<br/>❤️❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. [ r e s o u r c e s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mark and Yukhei play 'Don't Starve Together'.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Edit: I haven't realized Ao3 posted the the story twice :c<br/>Anyway, all fixed now.<br/>Sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It took them a while to get a television for their flat, not because they didn’t have the money, but because they didn’t see the necessity of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was one September when Yukhei finally bought it, and when he didn’t allow Mark to pay half the price of the 50” TV, the younger decided to buy their Play Station and another controller (to even the expenses). He let Yukhei pick the color of it (he chose pink, not minding the weird look he received from the seller, Mark couldn’t care less either).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the truth is Mark rarely uses their console like Yukhei does, the elder being a fan of a variety of games, while Mark just loves to play childish vintage games that remind him of his childhood. From time to time, they play together, but it is usually one level and one level, since the games they have aren’t multiplayer.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>On a lazy Saturday, Yukhei is looking at the store for new games while Mark scrolls the screen of his phone, without really paying attention. It’s only when he sees a very distinctive picture, that he asks Yukhei to go back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that Don’t Starve Together?” Mark played Don’t Starve once in Johnny’s Xbox and he became an addict. More than once the doctor had to make him leave, otherwise Mark would have stayed playing until the next morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Yukhei uses the joystick to go back and select the game Mark is talking about. “This?” the younger nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought it was only on Xbox, dude!” he smiles childishly as he pushes Yukhei out of his place in the living room and takes the pink controller from his fiancé’s hands. “What are you waiting for? Bring me my wallet now” Yukhei laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re buying it” Mark doesn’t answer, but it wasn’t a question. He is already starting the purchase process. Yukhei goes to their room and picks Mark’s debit card from his wallet, and he brings it back to him. “What would your thesis assessor say of you using your allowance to buy video games?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is a very good investment”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yukhei has heard about the game, but he has never played it. Mark explains the basics of the characters as the world is being generated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wilson is my favorite character. When I played with Johnny's Xbox I always picked him. He’s good at science, and he grows a cute beard” Yukhei chuckles “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So facial hair in someone else is cute, but you don’t like it when yours starts to grow-” Mark smacks him with a pillow. “Ouch, dude!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you seen how awful I look when my mustache is growing? I look like a kid who doesn’t know how to drink chocolate milk”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An adorable kid who doesn’t know how to drink chocolate milk~” Mark grabs a new pillow, ready to toss it at Yukhei again “Hey, don’t be mad” Yukhei uses his arms as a shield, in case Mark decides to throw the pillow “It’s true, though. I like your mustache, it feels funny when we’re kissing” he wants to argue something back, but Yukhei has a point. When Yukhei’s mustache is growing and they’re kissing, it adds a different dimension to it, not necessarily bad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wendy is a little weak, his only perk is her ghostly twin sister-” he changes the topic abruptly, already blushing from Yukhei’s words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So the ghost is her twin?” Mark hums. He keeps describing each one of the characters, and Yukhei listens attentively.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fucking telling you I need grass, Wong! I’m going to die and it’s going to be your fault! I don’t have anything to create fire, you’re just farming for yourself!” Mark is </span>
  <em>
    <span>yelling</span>
  </em>
  <span> at Yukhei, </span>
  <em>
    <span>because of a game.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Not just that, his face is completely red and a vein in his forehead is popping already. “No, don’t you dare to leave me here alone in the forest, come back!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you haven’t told me-” </span>
  <em>
    <span>or he did?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei was just farming grass and tuff while he was talking to a college from work. Something about the bioluminescent indicators detector software.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yukhei! A campfire! It’s almost night, come on, I don’t want to die!” a breathing comes out of the TV and Mark growls “Ah, that’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Fucking deerclops, why does it come at this hour?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to-?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fireplace, Wong!” Yukhei is impressed. Mark never loses his temper, not when his apparently stupid students forget basic algebra, not when Yukhei leaves his dirty underwear on the floor after he takes a shower, not even when he irremediably fails at solving one of the equations of his thesis. But an animated cartoon of a deer with one eye is making him nuts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On it, sir”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put on your log suit and grab the tentacle spike I dropped for you. I’m going to build two more fire pits, so we have enough light. Leave your backpack over here” Mark’s character (Wickerbottom) is already wearing her own log suit and has a tentacle spike on her hand. “Remember to take him away from the camp. Do you have sanity restoring food?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei is certainly surprised, in a good way. Mark never looked like someone who was good at this kind of stuff. True, he told him he used to have a PS1, but it was a long time ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Run, run, run! Take him to the guardian tree! No, not the beefalos, Wong!" Yukhei can't take his eyes off his boyfriend. The Mark who teaches Calculus at the University as part of his credits, the one that usually wears casual polos, dark denim jeans and casual boots is very different from the Mark Yukhei gets to see everyday. A Mark that wears ripped light blue jeans, worn out gray vans, mismatched socks and a shirt that is probably stolen from Yukhei's drawer. And that Mark is, at this very moment, yelling at the TV screen, scaring Aquarelle in the process. “Hit it, hit it, hit it! Run, run, run!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark looks so focused, swearing (something he rarely does) and ready to jump inside the TV to kill the deerclops himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We did it!” the younger one looks completely excited. “Take the eye and the meat, and let’s go back to the camp” it took them a great amount of sanity and health. Their thermal stones are barely warm by the time the fight finishes, but Mark has the widest smile ever, it can be compared to the one he had when Yukhei said yes when he proposed, and Yukhei can’t resist it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he gives a quick scan to the screen to check their characters are in a relatively safe location, he tosses his controller to the couch and crawls to kiss Mark. Surprised, the other opens his eyes to later close them, when he gets lost in the sensation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look so sexy when you’re killing monsters, my brave survivor” Yukhei whispers over Mark’s lips. The light on the screen changes and Mark pushes Yukhei out of his sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, it’s noon already, let’s get moving before we freeze here” Yukhei chuckles as he grabs his controller again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is one of my favorites~ I enjoy playing Don't Starve, like a lot. It's really addictive.</p><p>I hope you're all doing well.<br/>Thank you so much for reading, it really makes me happy to know you're enjoying it~<br/>Let's read us later, shall we?<br/>♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. [ g o s s i p ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Being a teacher means everyone talks about your private life.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“How much do we have to walk, dude? It’s cold” Mark buries his nose inside his scarf, trying to keep it warm. For someone who has been living in Canada his whole life, he loses body heat pretty quickly. Yukhei refrains himself from taking his own jacket and covering his whiny fiancé, because he will only push him away as the prideful brat he is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not long” they’re holding hands, so Yukhei pulls him slightly to try to even their pace but as much as Mark takes longer steps and Yukhei tries to make his shorter, it is always impossible “Come on, we’re almost there”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You owe me something for this” he pouts, but the gesture is hidden under the forest green scarf.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark and Yukhei looking for a new place to eat is nothing new, and somehow, it has become part of their weekly routine. Yukhei loves sweet things (including Mark, but that’s a story for another day). Since they met, he always had something sweet to eat in his bag, call it candies, cookies, muffins, sweet drinks, or plain sugar packets.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How did his boyfriend manage to eat that amount of food without gaining any extra pound?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He guesses it has something to do with him never staying still. When he wasn't studying, he was practicing a sport, or cleaning their flat, or walking to the supermarket because he forgot they needed a certain type of cream for that dish he was trying to cook... Which makes him think that the taller probably burns more calories than he eats because he’s always hungry, craving sugar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here we are” Yukhei announces when they reach the ice-cream parlor and Mark deadpans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ice cream, Yukhei? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Really?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> when he accepted to walk a few blocks to get something sweet, he thought of something more </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Like a mocha or a chocolate cake, but with his soon to be husband is never that simple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, I heard they’re really good” Mark sighs, frustrated. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yukhei is always looking for food recommendations. Whenever they go somewhere, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>just knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> this place that has delicious food to try. He’s like a guidebook of restaurants, coffee places and sweet treats stores, not only in Toronto or Hong Kong, but in every city and place they have visited over the years. Hungarian bread, Polish sweets, Turkish tea, Mexican street food...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe you, but... It’s freezing. Couldn’t we really come any other day?” Mark is used to it by now, but it doesn’t mean that he is what one would call an ‘outdoor creature’ even if yes, since day one he was dragged most of the time by Yukhei to this or that place, but not precisely because he enjoyed walking or watching the view (it's like the proof of the unconditional love he feels for him).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll like it” as much as Mark wants to say no, he just gets in the parlor when his fiancé holds the door open for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The place is cozy, it looks like a landscape from Alice in Wonderland and Mark makes a mental note to come here later, once the weather is more appropriate. It looks calm, and it’s close to their flat. He can easily walk those four blocks to eat some ice cream and spend some time drawing. He looks around and smiles to himself, it’s a nice plus that there aren’t any students in sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want me to order? There’s ice cream... but there are other things too”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the expert here, dude. I don’t know. Just-” Mark enjoys very much the fact that Yukhei doesn’t ask him anymore if he’s going to eat something with him, and he just assumes it. Well, it would be nicer if he didn’t gain weight because of their weekly escapades.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Not too sweet.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I know” Mark sits on one of the couches as he waits for Yukhei, trying to warm himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the elder orders some ice cream cake for them and a coffee for Mark, he stares at him. He can be easily mistaken for one of his students, Yukhei loves that about him, it’s like having a sugar baby (with the plus that they’re the same age and Mark will be a doctor soon).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come over here and help me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei asks, already placing two slices of cake on the table. Mark rolls his eyes but he still stands up to pick up the coffee from the counter. When he gets back, his fiancé is taking off his jacket “Are you still cold? Do you want my jacket?” he shakes his head because he’s no longer freezing, even when he would very much like to be covered with Yukhei’s scent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you order?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ice cream cakes, strawberries and cream for you and red velvet for me... Unless you want to change?” Mark shakes his head again, he likes simple flavors. “The cappuccino is for you”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assumed that, you don’t like coffee that much” Yukhei shrugs his shoulders. “I may come here on my free day”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To solve equations? Or to draw?” Yukhei uses his spoon to slice a piece of his cake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Draw” Yukhei nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘I believe everyone must have an expensive hobby’ Mark excused himself once, basically because he needed a credible alibi to all that stuff he buys and buys for sketching and painting and coloring and... </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei no longer questions him about the new set of pencils on the table, because he knows what the answer will be. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need them. They’re for this certain purpose. I don’t have this shade of blue.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark eats a small piece of cake and he closes his eyes in pleasure.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How does Yukhei manage to find the most amazing places in the world to eat? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“This tastes amazing” he says, licking the spoon shamelessly. Yukhei offers him a bright wide smile. He feels proud of himself because he knows Mark as he knows himself, even better. “Fine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You were right. This is delicious~”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I taste?” Yukhei asks, gazing at Mark’s lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure” he pushes the plate with cake in Yukhei’s direction, but the other just leaves his spoon on the table and leans to kiss Mark. He opens his eyes in surprise, not even answering the kiss. It’s not that Mark cares what others think about him dating a guy. If their families know it and they accept them, the people can go fuck themselves. He is just very reserved, in Toronto’s University they are professional tea spillers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right, it is good” Mark turns around as he hears giggles and he feels mortified when he realizes in the same place there are three of his students. Three girls, the only ones in algebra classes. He feels his ears turning completely red as they mumble something about their </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute</span>
  </em>
  <span> teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you like this?” he complains, avoiding to look at the girls’ direction and Yukhei understands. With a mischievous smile, he scratches his temple with his left hand, making sure they can catch a glimpse of the ring Mark gave him when he proposed. Mark notices it and deadpans “Oh my God, they won’t stop talking about it the whole week-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there something wrong with it? Aren’t you allowed to spend a lazy afternoon on a weekend with your fiancé?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They didn’t know you are my fiancé, Yukhei”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you tell your students you're engaged? I’m hurt, Mark” Yukhei pouts, feigning hurt and even when he knows he’s trying to piss him off, Mark can’t help but feel slightly guilty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They literally see you kissing me when you pick me up everyday” Mark frowns. Yukhei hugs him and Mark allows himself to relax. “I’m sure they know I’m not available” his fiancé kisses the top of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, babe. I’m just bothering you. I get you, though. I don’t want your students asking you weird questions about us. Kids these days are something else” Mark decides not to contradict Yukhei, even when he feels he’s not that old yet. It feels nice to be embraced by his arms, and feeling his rhythmic heartbeat against his back... He decides to forget about the girls, and whatever consequences it has.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Mark~” Mark feels something is off the moment he enters the lab and Taeyong takes some time to pause his simulation and greet him. “Do you know what it has been told in the campus today?” Mark pales, but he acts as if nothing happens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I?” he asks Taeyong, another doctorate student he works with (which happens to be the boyfriend of his other friend, Johnny). They started to work together since their masters, and even when they have different topics for their thesis, they help each other from time to time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Markie, you know I know you proposed Yukhei last year because I was there, witnessing and capturing the moment for you, and Ten, to watch later~” Mark knows completely where this is going and he sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How bad is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Math and Biology are already demanding to know your wedding date” Mark growls “What should I answer in the email?” and then he whines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An email, man?!” Taeyong shrugs his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, dude” Yukhei definitely owes him something.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My parents are high school teachers.<br/>This means that we can't go to somewhere without someone greeting them (even when my mom is already retired).<br/>They always have to look their best and try not to give the people in town something to talk about because here everyone knows everyone.</p><p>I hope you enjoyed it, thank you so much for your support and let's read us soon, shall we?<br/>Take care ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. [ c e r e a l b e f o r e m i l k ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clumsy Mark + Yukhei trying not to laugh.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As clever as Mark seems to be, he is someone really clumsy. Yukhei already lost count of the times Mark has bumped into something (or someone) or has broken a fragile thing without wanting to.</p><p>Mark tends to be careful of his persona when he’s out in the world for it to judge him (as much as he doesn’t want to, he’s still a teacher and he has a reputation to keep), but in the privacy of their flat, he’s his usual hopeless self.</p><p>Yukhei usually finds it amusing, instead of being bothered by it. He was the one who insisted on having spare mugs, glasses or plates because Mark breaks them from time to time. Mark used to apologize a lot when they started to live together because of his clumsiness, but now he barely chuckles blushed, commenting 'oops' rather playfully.</p><p> </p><p>Yukhei has been watching Mark trying to get the cereal from the top shelf for a whole minute. And maybe he's being a little cruel with him, but he wants to know how long it takes his small fiancé to ask for help (he may have purposely placed some things on the top shelf so Mark needs him to get them, <em> even when 1.74 is not that small). </em></p><p>When Mark realizes standing on his tips doesn't work, he takes a chair to step on it and Yukhei only cocks an eyebrow, but the other doesn't seem to notice it.</p><p>"Why in hell would you put the cereal here, Wong Yukhei?" Mark mumbles to himself, making a mental note to complain about this later "It's not enough making me feel small with your mere presence... <em>Damn"</em>
</p><p>Yukhei takes out his phone to record a video of his fiancé. It came out of nothing in particular, he remembers once Mark started to film him solving equations in the library as if filming a wildlife documentary and it became their thing.</p><p>"Welcome back to Oolong &amp; Maple. In this episode we will capture a rare species in his pursuit of food" Yukhei says as soon as he turns on the front camera. Ten loves to watch those videos, even when they don't know how he found out about them.</p><p>"Yukhei" Mark warns him, but Yukhei doesn't listen. He walks, with his phone on his hand, and now with the back camera recording every movement Mark is doing, who decides to ignore him since he already got his cereal. He jumps from the chair, landing softly at the floor and he smiles when he doesn't fall.</p><p>Mark smirks at the camera and sticks his tongue out. <em> Not this time, man. </em></p><p>He pours some Oreo Oh's in a plate and he walks with it to the fridge to pour milk.</p><p>"Here... you can see the endangered <em> Mork mothemothicion </em> in his natural habitat" Mark looks at him frowning not noticing Aquarelle walking in between his feet, making him fall spilling the cereal everywhere “Natural selection is coming for this specimen” Mark whines in pain, before he complains.</p><p>"Yukhei! For science's sake! Stop that stupid thing and help me out" Mark tells from the floor, already trying to stand up. His fiancé stops recording, leaving the phone on the table to later help Mark.</p><p>"Are you ok, Mark?" Mark knows Yukhei is not laughing only because first he wants to make sure he's ok. He nods, holding Yukhei's hand to stand up "Does something hurt?"</p><p>"My pride" Mark says to ease the moment and that's when Yukhei loses it, laughing loudly. Mark follows him quickly, laughing at his own disgrace. "Tell me you didn't send this to Ten already, man" Yukhei shakes his head "Thank you" still laughing, Yukhei places a messy kiss on Mark's lips.</p><p>"Do you want me to help you with this?" Mark shakes his head, sighing. <em> Why do this kind of things always happen to him? </em></p><p>"No, ‘Hei. It's my mess, I'll clean it" the taller one gives him another kiss.</p><p>"It's alright, babe. Prepare us cereal bowls while I clean"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wonder if Mark is more clumsy than Yukhei in this story... Also, do you think cereal goes first or is it milk? I'm a firm believer cereal must be poured before milk LOL.</p><p>I'm not sure about this chapter, but I hope you liked it.<br/>Thank you for reading and take care ❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. [ k i l l i t ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Computers, labs and infected guinea pigs.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark arrives tired after staying in the lab running a simulation of a model he proposed for his thesis. Since Johnny had to stay at the hospital and he was late for picking Taeyong, he stayed to help him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey babe, you're here already" Yukhei greets him from the kitchen "How it went?" he wants to say it was a successful test, he really does, but the truth is the software isn't cooperating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure anymore if the model I proposed is right" he tosses his backpack and his jacket over a chair as he walks into the kitchen. "How can I know if the software has a programming mistake?" Yukhei cocks an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That bad?" Mark hums. He stops in front of Yukhei and rests his head over his chest, sighing loudly. "Is there anything I can help with?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you kill me?" Yukhei laughs, pushing Mark slightly so he can turn around to finish their dinner "Don't laugh, I'm being serious!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't kill my fiancé, sweetheart"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can because I proposed, technically you're my fiancé and not the other way around" Yukhei stares at Mark amused, as he flips the meat on the frying pan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Technicisms" Mark doesn't say anything else, and Yukhei doesn't pressure further on the issue "Did Taeyong stay with you the whole simulation?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, he was waiting for Johnny so he helped me. Or he tried, because I think we broke the computer somewhere along the way or something... It bluescreened and we couldn't turn it off after that"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh? Is the program too heavy for the computer processor?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How can I know that, man? The computer was there and the software was installed since I did my master degree. It worked properly until today. Maybe I typed something wrong- But it can't be, right? I checked twice and Taeyong checked it too..." Yukhei turns around once again and hugs Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I don't know the complexity of your model, but that's my guess. The computer isn't enough for what you're trying to prove"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Christ, that means I have to reformulate it-" Mark pales, thinking in all those months he spent solving equations to propose the model.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or the University just needs to get you a better computer... Maybe the ones in Biology can run the test... Isn't that department where Ten is working?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'd rather don't involve him in my thesis... He's annoying enough already"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Physics department then?" Mark thinks of the possibility for a second. Baekhyun works there, and he wouldn't have a problem letting him into his lab and use his computer for a while. Then, the war flashbacks come.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh my God... Baekhyun, you let it escape. I told you not to open the cage" Baekhyun and Ten together are a dangerous combination. When Mark remembered this, it was too late. Ten's test subject infected with a contagious disease was now running free in Baekhyun's lab.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Taeyong and Mark panicked, they wanted to open the door and leave the place as soon as they knew they were in danger of catching a currently untreatable bacteria.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You two, no. Don't open the door. Do you want everyone to die?" Ten warned them, and they froze at the spot.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I have a solution” Baekhyun offered, and everyone relaxed for a second.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thank goodness” Mark said relieved.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It involves fire” for what it concerned to the mathematicians, Baekhyun could set the whole building on fire, so they could go to their own lab and pretend this never happened.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Absolutely not” Ten looked offended at the engineer. "Do you know how expensive it was to import the strain from Germany? That guinea pig leaves this lab alive, Byun. So I suggest you start looking for it at this moment. You're helping us too" Ten pointed at Taeyong and Mark.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They looked at each other speechless.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is no hope for me, dude. I better start looking for another job..." nobody died that day, but he can't assure they will be that lucky the next time (Mark doesn't want a next time to begin with). Yukhei shakes his head at his dramatic boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If it so much of a trouble for you, you can just use my old laptop and run your tests there, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh?" Yukhei turned the stove while Mark was daydreaming, so he's hugging him and rubbing circles on his upper back and his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My laptop, the one I used in college. It's for programming... I'm sure you remember Betsy?" <em>how could he forget a computer that has a name?</em> Mark nods "It's a bit old, but surely works better than the one in the lab. If you want to, I can install the software for you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pretty please?" Mark makes sure to put his best puppy face to convince Yukhei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"All you needed to do was ask, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Now, can you help me set the table? The dinner is ready"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>" 'course..." Yukhei is still holding Mark "You need to let me go first, honey"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I don't wanna. You're mine" Mark blushes but he keeps a straight face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, then we stay here until you decide you'll let me go and we'll eat a cold dinner"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sounds good to me" Mark rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're impossible"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You still love me, tho"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Despite my best intentions, yes" Yukhei laughs and finally releases Mark, not without giving him a long tender kiss.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I posted something earlier today, before my laptop died. Plot twist: it was my <i>work</i> laptop, that has been agonizing for a week but today it finally collapsed. The keyboard doesn't work and the new one arrives in 6-7 <i>weeks</i>.<br/>I've been intending to update this, but this got in my way. I hope I can update again soon, but I'm not promising anything.</p><p>Thank you for understanding and thanks for reading ❤️</p><p>PS. I'm not a mathematician nor a programmer, but I'm a chemist. I do know about research and science (well, just a bit). Things like Mark's war flashbacks used to happen in our lab 😂💔</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. [ h y d r o p h i l i c ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Existential doubts in the middle of the shower.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yukhei hisses when Mark presses his cold feet against his own legs. Aquarelle jumps out of the bed, evading Mark’s cold feet too. It’s been years, and he still can’t understand why Mark is always this cold if he has lived in Canada his whole life. He guesses it is one of the universe’s mysteries that will never be solved.</p><p>“Do we have to shower today?” Mark asks, his fiancé knows he’s pouting even when he has his eyes fixed on his phone screen. Yukhei hums as an answer “But it’s too cold, do we really have to?” he looks at him to confirm that he is indeed pouting, and he opens and closes his mouth, wondering if it worths to answer because he knows how this is going to finish, they’re predictable human beings after all.</p><p>“Well, <em> Mork. </em> If you don’t want to shower it’s ok, I’ll do it because I worked out and I sweat, you know I don’t like feeling sticky. I just want to remind you the last day you showered was the day before yesterday-” Yukhei certainly doesn’t mind if Mark doesn’t shower every day, he doesn’t shower every day either, and the nice plus about the Canadian is that his Korean genes make his sweat odorless.</p><p>“It’s cold...” <em> there, </em>Mark could forego cleaning for the whole month simply because he is cold. Mark watches at their cat jealously, thinking it would be awesome if he could just lick himself clean.</p><p>“It’s up to you babe, it’s ok if you don’t want to shower. You know I don’t care- But let me go shower now” Yukhei pushes Mark slightly and stands up to undress himself. Mark can’t take his eyes off him and he sighs as he stands up too, taking two towels from their closet. “I thought you said it was cold”</p><p>“You made me feel guilty, I hope you’re happy” Yukhei smiles widely as Mark starts to undress himself too.</p><p>“I always enjoy showering with you, babe” he kisses Mark’s shoulder “You can set the water temperature at your liking~”</p><p>“Ah? So you thought I was letting you set the temperature, you’re really something else” Aquarelle escapes from the bedroom before they decide she has to have a bath too.</p><p> </p><p>It didn’t take long for Mark and Yukhei to shower together when they started dating. If well, at first it was a hot sexy experience to scrub Yukhei’s back and ass, and they had sex there once (only to discover it was rather difficult because of the height difference), now it is just a part of their routines. They don’t know if they’re saving water with this practice, but it’s nice to talk about their days surrounded by steam and warm water.</p><p>“Have you ever wondered what would happen if our skins were hydrophilic instead of lipophilic?” Yukhei asks as he washes the soap away from his skin. Mark, still with foam on his hair only frowns with closed eyes.</p><p>
  <em> “What?” </em>
</p><p>“I mean, you know our skin repels water. Everytime I shower I just wonder what would happen if our skin was the contrary? Would we fill up like a balloon everytime our skin touched the water?” Mark keeps frowning as he pushes Yukhei out of the hot water to wash the shampoo off his hair.</p><p>“I think you have a lot of free time, dude”</p><p>“No, it’s a valid question <em> Mork” </em></p><p>“In that case... All the water inside our bodies could also escape, wouldn’t it?” Yukhei takes the scrubber and the soap to scrub Mark’s skin (he just mentioned it once, but he loves when Yukhei scrubs him... And maybe Mark is too lazy to do it himself). The taller loves how even when Mark doesn’t really know about Chemistry, his mathematical logic always finds a way to refute Yukhei’s existential doubts.</p><p>“Oh... That’s true” he giggles, Mark still hasn’t opened his eyes when he changes the topic “I will shave myself because I need to go to the lab tomorrow. Do you want me to shave you too?”</p><p>“Yes, please” at this moment, Mark only thinks about how domestic and routinary his life has become, not that he cares about it. When he feels the razor over his upper lip, he stills. The first time they shaved each other there were shaking hands and a few drops of blood, leaking from small cuts on both of them (shaving another man is not as easy and shaving yourself), but now he’s confident Yukhei won’t hurt him.</p><p>“There, all done, sir” he says after a while.</p><p>“Thank you, ‘Hei. I’m all done, have you finished too?” Yukhei shakes his head. “I’ll wait for you outside then” when Mark turns around to leave the shower and grab his towel, Yukhei can’t resist the urge to give him a light slap in one of his asscheeks. “Yukhei!” Mark turns around, embarrassed.</p><p>“What? Can I not?” he says with a slight smirk. Mark mumbles something unintelligible that sounds suspiciously like ‘pervert’ before he leaves the bathroom and Yukhei smiles to himself.</p><p> </p><p>When he arrives to their bedroom, Mark is already wearing a pair of gray boxers and Yukhei laments that they’re too tired to do something unappropriated today.</p><p>“Aren’t you cold anymore, Mark?”</p><p>“My feet are still cold” Yukhei laughs at this comment. “What?”</p><p>“I swear you’re like a woman sometimes”</p><p>“It’s not my fault” he mumbles.</p><p>“I know it isn’t. But you’re too small, maybe that’s why you’re cold all the time... I wouldn’t mind if you were a woman though, but I prefer you like this, with a flat chest and facial hair that I have to shave off your face from time to time” Mark blushes “I also like your hairy legs~”</p><p>“Oh my God...” Mark throws his fiancé a pillow “Can you be more ridiculous?”</p><p>“Don’t you love my hairy legs too?” Mark takes the other pillow and throws it to a very naked Yukhei again.</p><p>“Yukhei! Why can't you be a normal human being and say you like my eyes or something like that? And please, put on some clothes” he turns around, looking for his basketball shorts.</p><p>“Nah, I think I’m going to sleep naked tonight” Mark gulps visibly when he sees Yukhei walking to him through the mirror and then turns him around. “And I do like your eyes and your smile, but mostly I like you as a whole” a shiver runs down Mark’s spine when their bare chests are against each other. “Can’t you feel it?”</p><p>Mark <em> feels </em>it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>End of the month process is something I don't like to go through. It's been haunting me since I started working and I don't think it'll stop soon. My computer still isn't working, but I got a spare one while mine is fixed. It doesn't work as well as the other, but I least I can do the basics.</p><p>Well... I hope you're liking it. Thank you so much for your support and let's read us soon ❤️❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. [ b a d d a y s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Everyone can have a bad day.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Yukhei arrives at their flat, he can </span>
  <em>
    <span>sense</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark is upset. Call it a gift (or a course), but he's very good at noticing when something is bothering his fiancé. He sighs, because this was the last thing he was expecting to find out, and honestly all he wants to do is rest. His day was awful too, but he's better being nice and not showing his stress than Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaves his coat hanging and his keys on the little table at the entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finds Mark in their living room, with pencils scattered all over the place. He's staring at a little notebook he has over his legs, frowning. Yukhei doesn't dare to move a single muscle, because if he distracts Mark, his anger will be directed to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whenever Mark is mad at something, he either draws or solves equations. Yukhei finds himself silently praying it is something that can be solved within the next thirty minutes or Mark will be sleeping on the couch tonight (he can be cruel, but he's not heartless and if he gets mad, Mark prefers to be the one sleeping outside of their bedroom — taking at least three blankets with him, that's it).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Yukhei can think of something else, Mark stands up from the couch and shoves the notebook in Yukhei's hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t pinpoint what's wrong with the perspective of the eyes" Yukhei blinks confused, and it takes a second for his brain to understand that he's talking about a drawing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank God.</span>
  </em>
  <span> That adds up to Yukhei's mood though, because he's used to greet Mark with a kiss, no matter what. Even then, he analyzes the drawing Mark is showing him to realize that yes, something doesn't look quite right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think it's the shadow under the right eye..." he takes a second look "And the eyelid too" Yukhei doesn't have time to give him the notebook back, because Mark takes it away from him. He drops to his knees to use the little table as a support to draw again (and not his legs). Yukhei sighs again when Mark completely ignores him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He frowns when he feels his eyes pricking with tears and he shakes his head. Yukhei doesn't know why this upsets him this much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark drops the pencil to stare at his fiancé with scrutiny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You look tired" Yukhei has lost count of all the times he has sighed after he arrived at their flat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am, it was a rough day" Mark pushes the notebook aside as he stands up again. He walks to Yukhei who is currently looking to some point behind Mark. "I'm not in the mood, Mark" Yukhei sounds tired, and serious, but that doesn't stop Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neither I am" the taller one doesn't understand what Mark wants then. He's about to protest when Mark stands up on his tiptoes to kiss him, first a little awkwardly but then, when Yukhei finally closes his eyes and gives into the kiss, slowly and sweetly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's late and both of them are tired. Yukhei still wants to forget about the programming code that keeps saying everyone is pregnant of twelve weeks and Mark is trying not to think about how his model needs another variant that wasn't considered in his initial calculation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei holds Mark's waist as they move their lips to an imaginary rhythm, Mark places his hands on Yukhei's shoulders as he plays idly with the little hairs on his nape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, all the anger and frustration fades away. Neither of them realizes how much time passes, but when the kiss finishes, the sky is already dark. Mark's stomach grumbles and he blushes when Yukhei chuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are hungry, sweetheart" it's not a question, but an affirmation. With all his anger, Mark forgot to eat lunch "I don't really want to cook" Mark knows his fiancé is tired, but still that makes his heart ache a little. He doesn't really want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> to cook something either (he's not that bad, but Yukhei is seriously better than him). "Do you want pizza?" Mark's eyes shine in glee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want me to order it?" Yukhei nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please, baby" Yukhei asks in a whisper, while pressing his lips behind Mark's ear "I'll take a quick shower, I'm seriously tired" Yukhei doesn't ask if Mark wants to shower with him this time because he knows he won't, and either way, Mark will use this time to finish his drawing.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is just about copying mechanisms. Yukhei and Mark are not alike, but they somehow make it work.<br/>I know it's not really long, but I've been having other things in mind.<br/>Anyway, I hope you still enjoyed it.<br/>Thank you for reading!</p><p>Take care  ♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. [ u s e t h e t o i l e t t o o ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yukhei and Mark's night routine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark doesn't hear Yukhei coming into the bathroom when he's brushing his teeth, until he appears in his blurry vision field (because he isn't wearing glasses) and he 'sees' him through the mirror. Mark cocks an eyebrow, questioning Yukhei's presence but his fiancé doesn't say anything, so Mark keeps minding his own business.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark barely spares a glance with the corner of his eye when Yukhei lowers his pajamas just enough to piss comfortably and even when he has told him thousands of times to just use the hole in their clothes that it is designed for that, he tries not to think about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has always thought it is weird Yukhei has some childish manners, probably because his parents didn't try to correct them enough both because the effort wasn't worth it or they were too busy to do it. Not that he minds them, of course. It's just... <em>odd.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact of Mark questioning more the fact that Yukhei doesn't use his clothes as they were designed for and not why he doesn't wait for him to finish his turn in the bathroom to do his stuff, talks about how much trust they have in each other. Maybe it is because they have been living together for almost nine years.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Mork, </span>
  </em>
  <span>lemme wash my hands" Mark moves aside to allow Yukhei to use the sink as he keeps humming a song that has been stuck in his head the whole day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then watches disgustedly at Yukhei drying his wet hands in his own pajamas. Mark spits the mix of toothpaste and saliva before he speaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's a towel in front of you, Yukhei"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which towel?" Mark rolls his eyes and he uses his toothbrush to point at the flashy yellow towel in the bathroom (courtesy of Yukhei's mom). "I didn't see it"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really, man? Even me without glasses can find that stuff. I swear even 'Relle sees it, and I know for sure cats can't distinguish yellow-" Yukhei shrugs his shoulders as he finishes to dry his hands on Mark's shorts. "You're an awful human being"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei kisses Mark's nape slowly, knowing it tickles him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What... What are you trying to do, Wong?" Yukhei then kisses his left shoulder. Mark wiggles under him and he curses quietly for not being taller. "S-stop! You're tickling me"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know" he kisses his right shoulder then "But I love your laugh so much it is impossible to resist" Yukhei stops then but doesn't leave. "Will you piss too before sleeping?" Mark nods, still not processing the fact that this incredibly weird conversation is part of their night routine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark leaves the brush over the sink before he turns around. Yukhei still doesn't leave, and that's when something clicks in Mark's head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is the cat doing here?"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was going to be about something completely different, but I changed my mind. It isn't time yet. So, I'm taking more time because I still need to fill the void I created by delaying the previously written chapter.<br/>I know this is short, and a bit weird. Bu hey, living with someone is weird.</p><p>Thank you to everyone for your support, it seriously means a lot to me!<br/>Let's read us soon, shall we?<br/>Until then, stay safe ❤️❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. [ f l o w e r s & n a p s]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When Yukhei contributes to Mark's fascination with the plants, even when he's allergic.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yukhei finds Mark that lazy Saturday watering his collection of plants with his earphones on, humming an R&amp;B song and moving his hips rhythmically to it while he cuts damaged leaves and rotten petals.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aquarelle is taking the sun over the small table, placed against a window with a view to the city. It happens that on autumn days the sun filters just right through the window of his fourth floor apartment giving the table at least two hours of delicious warmth that the cat loves to make use of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Messily scattered all over the table and around the cat, are a variety of things like garden scissors, bags of enriched soil, fertilizer and pet-friendly pesticide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei stays at the doorframe of the kitchen, staring at his fiancé for a minute. His old light blue denim shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the white tee under it with a Spiderman printing on it and black jeans. The taller smirks when Mark bends to pick a leaf that fell to the floor, showing Yukhei his delicious butt, round and perky, almost inviting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark keeps humming, closing his eyes from time to time, enjoying the song. He sprays a purple daisy with some water (Aquarelle removes when some of the water sprays her, so she changes position) and he keeps his work cutting the withered flowers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei leaves Mark alone with his plants as he goes into the kitchen, looking for a snack.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark has always loved flowers, he likes to be surrounded by pretty colors and nice smells. Since they started dating, Yukhei kind of guessed it. He thought it wasn't normal for a guy to look jealousy at girls who received flowers. And when he bought him a bouquet of red roses when Mark turned twenty two, he knew Mark was destined to be a plant lady.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei bought Mark the majority of plants that he owns now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Being a boy doesn't mean you can be a plant lady, Mork" he said when he bought him his first plant (that wasn't really a plant but a cacti). Mark, even when he wanted a geranium and not a succulent, was beyond happy.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You don't mind?" Mark told Yukhei hesitantly. He was worried about causing his boyfriend an allergy crisis or something, but Yukhei shook his head as he offered Mark a smile.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Just keep the flowers out of our room and we should be fine"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark takes the daisy out to the balcony as soon as he finishes with it. He does it absentmindedly, like he didn't remember at all Yukhei is allergic to pollen and having the flowers inside the house for more than an hour causes him to sneeze endlessly and his nose to drip like an open faucet. There's no amount of antihistamines in their flat to get rid of the symptoms after Yukhei's allergy begins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The daisy was the last one of the flowers. His geranium, bergamot and sunflower are already out on the balcony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want me to help you with the others?" Yukhei asks, but Mark isn't listening because of the music. To be honest, Yukhei thinks he hasn't even realized he's been watching him for the last five minutes while eating a granola bar (or two, or three, but who is counting them?).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head when Mark still doesn't answer and keeps taking care of his plants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei walks in front of the table, he scratches Aquarelle's back before he presses a quick kiss to Mark's cheek. Mark barely tilts his head to the kiss but keeps focused on the plants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The taller leaves his fiancé in peace, relaxing as he repeats the process with the flowerless plants. Meanwhile, Yukhei watches paranormal videos on youtube in their bedroom, as he tries not to fall asleep.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows he lost when he opens his eyes and Aquarelle is purring in between his legs and Mark is staring at him, amusedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you done?" Yukhei says with a hoarse voice, trying to blink away his sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yup. Food is ready, sleeping beauty. Let's eat" Yukhei hums, closing his eyes again "Don't you dare to fall asleep again, or I'll let you eat cold food" Yukhei nods and he raises his hand so Mark can help him to stand up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of that, Yukhei pulls him and Mark falls over his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stay here, Mark" Mark wants to tell Yukhei their dinner is getting cold, but when Aquarelle nests against Yukhei's ribs once again, he decides he really doesn't care that much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're heating the dinner again" Yukhei nods, closing his eyes again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've been allergic to pollen for a long time. This means I can't get bouquets of flowers inside my house, but I love them.<br/>My boyfriend had never gave me a bouquet of flowers, but now that we live together, he bought me a lot of pretty flowers that can stay in our garden, where I take care of them.</p><p>I hope you liked the chapter.<br/>Thank you for reading and take care ❤️❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. [ a q u a r e l l e ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The night Yukhei adopted their furry daughter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The night outside was awful and Mark was getting worried because Yukhei hadn't arrived yet. The storm was clouding the sight and he prayed for his boyfriend to be safe because the streets were dangerous like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He prepared some coffee to calm himself as he kept trying to focus his mind in being positive and not to think in the worst case scenario, where he had to go to the morgue to recognize Yukhei's body and then call his parents to tell him he died because of a storm (a bit dramatic is he).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he was about to take a sip of his coffee, he heard the door being opened and he turned his head around, with a speed that could break his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where the fuck have you been?! I've been calling you for hours and you didn't pick up! I was worried-" Yukhei wasn't completely soaked, but his clothes were dripping water on the floor "Didn't you take your umbrella? Why the hell are you so damn wet, Wong Yukhei?!" at that time, they didn't have a car yet. Yukhei had just started working and Mark was studying his master, they barely managed to pay rent and some other stuff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A weak meow came from inside Yukhei's jacket and Mark became aware of how weird his boyfriend looked. His back was curved as if protecting something, and he had his arms holding something on his chest. Mark was suddenly paralyzed, not knowing what to do and he only reacted when he heard a second meow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark-" it was the first time Yukhei spoke and his voice sounded affected "I couldn't leave it there... It was going to die and someone could have killed it-" Mark frowned "It was shivering and meowing for help... I just couldn't-" Yukhei took out an awful ball of wet fur. "I know we don't have a lot of money, but Mark... We can't-" Yukhei sounded almost hesitant, and Mark knew what he was asking for. They couldn't abandon the kitten, the poor thing looked so terrified and ill...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll bring a towel" Mark said, still pondering the possibility of having a pet. They didn't live badly, but his budget was tight (they were saving money for their car). </span>
  <em>
    <span>Would they be able to take care of it?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed when he looked at his closet only to find white towels and he regretted not having listened to Yukhei about buying other colors. He still took one, not minding anymore it would be dirty after drying the kitten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he came back, he saw Yukhei talking to the cat, trying to calm it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shhh, you'll be ok. I promise we'll take care of you. You don't have to worry anymore, baby. We won't allow something happening to you" Mark felt his heart warming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even then, when they were five years younger, Mark knew he wanted to be with Yukhei for a very long time, but he still didn't feel committed enough to adopt a pet. Even though they had been living together for four years, Mark still was coming to terms with the fact of having a long term relationship. <em>What if they broke up? What would happen to the things they bought together? The furniture? Where would Mark live? Would Yukhei come back to Hong Kong?</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here's the towel" Mark covered the kitten with a towel and started to dry it silently while Yukhei reassured it everything would be fine. The kitten meowed pitifully, scared of being hurt, maybe of hunger and cold. "You should take a shower and change into dry clothes, 'Hei. You're gonna catch a cold" Mark suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But- The kitten-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't throw it out, if that's what you're worried about. There's an awful storm outside and it is scared. Let's just... It can stay here tonight, we'll talk about it tomorrow"</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Aquarelle gasps for air even when she's doing nothing but resting over the carpet and Yukhei leaves the kitchen, wiping his hands with a paper towel to check the cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei helps her, pressing her ribcage slightly until she can breathe normally again. Aquarelle leaves Yukhei's arms as if nothing had happened and Yukhei gets into the kitchen to finish the dinner, where he finds Mark tasting the soup on the stove.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is she fine?" the smaller one asks after he swallows the soup "Did you put garlic in this? It tastes good" Yukhei places his hand over Mark's waist to move him from the stove.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She is, but I guess we'll have to give her the spray again tonight. Hand me the pepper, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork" </span>
  </em>
  <span>this is something that happens oftentimes. Aquarelle is an asthmatic cat (she developed it after spending a whole day under the cold rain), but even after having to buy her expensive medicine (and sacrificing a new phone) Yukhei fought to keep her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aquarelle comes into the kitchen when Mark closes the cupboard's door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oi! Look who's here~" he raises the cat on his arms and Aquarelle meows in protest "What are you doing here, baby girl? Did you smell what dad was cooking? I'm afraid we can't give some to you, but I have some whipped cream, would you like that?" Yukhei smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark wasn't sure of keeping her at first. How would they pay all of her expenses? And the veterinary? And the space? The owner of the flat didn't tell them if they could have pets... But Yukhei convinced him they were her best option. She meowed to Yukhei so he could rescue her, he thought it was cruel just to get rid of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Mork...</span>
  </em>
  <span> the pepper-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's give dad that pepper and then I'll give you a treat, how does that sound, hmm?" Aquarelle is Mark spoiled baby, he spoils her even more than Yukhei (and Yukhei is the one how buys turkey's breast ham for her every week). But as a cat, she doesn't like the attention that much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark puts her on the floor to put some whipped cream on the floor that she licks gleefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I swear you love her more than you love me" Yukhei comments, giving Mark an amused look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's because of the fur, she's fluffier than you" Yukhei laughs and Mark leans his head on his fiance's shoulder. "I just want to remember you you're the one with a ring"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only because if you proposed to her, she'd say no"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't be ridiculous, Wong" Mark still hasn't move from his spot by Yukhei, and now he's rubbing circles on his lower back "She would have proposed to me, not the other way around" Yukhei laughs loudly as he stirs the soup. Mark hums, smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you have say yes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"To Aquarelle?" Yukhei nods "No, I would have told her that my heart already belongs to someone else" Yukhei cocks an eyebrow "And she wouldn't buy me watermelons, anyway" Yukhei nods as he giggles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew you didn't like me just for my charming personality"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, you're right. I'm only interested in watermelons, and your lion tattoo. I like to lick it" Yukhei doesn't say anything else, he just hums in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aquarelle keeps licking the whipped cream until there's no more and she scratches Yukhei's leg, asking for something else to eat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your daughter, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark doesn't leave Yukhei's side for a while "Mark?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know I love you, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes... I love you too. What's with you right now?" Yukhei is pleasantly confused, Mark is never too explicit with his feelings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing, I just thought I haven't reminded you that today" he proceeds to kiss Yukhei's jaw and then he walks to the fridge again to feed his baby girl. "Now, young lady. Do you want yogurt or cream?"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My lovely bff (who's not really that much of a fan of NCT but still supports my weird ideas and all my OTPs) wanted to know about Aquarelle. I wanted to share you her story, as she asked, it is inspired in her own cat.</p><p>I'll talk some more details about her later, but for now this is it.</p><p>Thank you everyone for your support, and I hope to read you soon! ❤️❤️<br/>Take care~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. [ z e r o ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>0! and the unseen Netflix chapters</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark doesn’t understand what Yukhei finds interesting about following science pages. Well, he means, he got it. Yukhei studied science, it’s part of who he is. What he doesn’t get is why he sees the necessity of including science everywhere. Their whole house is like a science interactive museum. A B|Er|Li|N (Boron, Erbium, Lithium, Nitrogen) magnet is on their fridge, there’s a sculpture he got in France of an accurately human heart. They have a set of shot glasses that resemble essay tubes. A pendulum graces a little table in a corner. And let’s not forget about the two mice made of recycled socks and filled with rice over a rack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Mork,</span>
  </em>
  <span> why is zero factorial one?” Mark blinks confused. Yukhei catches him unprevented, tiptoeing barefoot from the kitchen to the living room, with the box of Oreos and a steaming mug of homemade cappuccino, wearing his oldest sweatpants and a bleached hoodie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Mark looks like a deer caught in the headlights. He was pretending to eat the rest of the Oreos without telling Yukhei a single thing about it, as he watched the next chapter of Sabrina in Netflix (again, without telling Yukhei) and he was in no way expecting a)being caught and b)being questioned about basic algebra.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a Math teacher, can you explain to me why zero factorial is one?” Mark blinks again. “I remember a factorial number is multiplying said number for the numbers before it” the younger keeps staring at his fiancé mortified. He’s just glad Yukhei hasn’t realized about the Oreos or he won’t hear the end of that. Trying not to catch his attention so much, Mark tries to explain him as cool as he can (considering he has his hair tied away from his forehead in a messy high, almost non-existent ponytail).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First of all, it’s not a number. It’s a function-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><em>“Mork-”</em> Yukhei starts to protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, shut up. You came to me for an explanation, now you hear it complete” Yukhei doesn’t say anything else or Mark won’t explain anything at all “And you’re right, but you forgot you multiply just whole numbers”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s still doesn’t explain-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m getting there, you brat” Mark gets exasperated so easily Yukhei can’t understand why his students love his classes so much. It can be because he’s really good explaining (not when he gets mad, though) “Usually, you use factorial numbers for possibilities, but in combinations that can’t repeat, like there’s only one way to arrange ‘a’ but ‘a’ and ‘b’ can be arranged in ‘ab’ and ‘ba’, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm” Yukhei nods and his eyes shine in realization “Ah, so... For zero, there’s only one possible combination”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that combination would be a blank space or emptiness” Yukhei doesn’t ask anything else, and Mark kind of wants him to leave him alone in the living room with the cat so he can watch Sabrina in peace, but he feels the conversation is not over yet “Why did you want to know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So... There's one logical puzzle that says that you have three zeros, zero, zero, zero. You know” Mark doesn’t but he still nods “And you need to change them into six. You can use any mathematical sign to do it, adding, subtracting, exponential, factorial... That sort of thing, you know them better than me. And I was wondering how it can be solved” Mark nods slowly, understanding now what he is talking about. He smiles because he won fifty dollars with that challenge when they were still in college.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait. Do you know the answer, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> MArk doesn’t want to spoil it to Yukhei, because he really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span> wants to watch Sabrina. He prefers not to answer and walk to the sofa, where Aquarelle is already waiting for him to sleep over his lap. “Mark, don’t ignore me!” Mark opens the box to take out some cookies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not, baby” Yukhei pouts because Mark is barely paying attention to him. “I promise” Yukhei frowns, but he Yukhei kisses Mark’s cheek and leaves the living room in silence after that, allowing him to eat the whole box of Oreos (it’s ok, because he already ate the chocolates he bought without Mark noticing it) and watch the next chapter of Sabrina (that he already saw, </span>
  <em>
    <span>oops).</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Because loving someone is about sharing, but still having your own space.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My brother asks the weirdest questions in the world. You see, he thinks I have some sort of universal knowledge because of what I studied and he asks me a lot of facts related to a wide range of subject that include (but are not limited to) Chemistry, Math, Biochemistry, Pyshics, Biology and Physiology.<br/>This chapter came from the last time I visited my parents. It was around one in the morning when I decided to eat the last slice of apple pie and when I was returning to my room, my brother got out of his room to ask me why 0! = 1 and I just froze.</p><p>I hope you enyojed this chapter~<br/>Thank you to everyone who's reading and enjoying the story! I'm so happy to know that the time I ignore my boyfriend to watch NCT videos (just for research purposes, of course) are making someone happy LOL.<br/>So, shall we read us soon? Stay safe until then ♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. [ i n v i t a t i o n ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Baekhyun is a manipulative bastard. He’s a good college and an amazing friend, funny and intelligent, hardworking and his boyfriend is the best, but that doesn’t make him not being an asshole who will do whatever he needs to get what he wants.</p><p>“Ok, dude. Come on, tell me what’s the password”</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean, <em> Morkie. </em> I haven’t changed anything, the password is the same” Mark frowns and tries to type it again, but as the past six attempts, the computer says the password is wrong.</p><p>“I’m being serious here, man. I need to download my charts” Baekhyun is watching at Mark with an interesting look that doesn’t foresee something good. He sighs before he gives up and asks “What do you want?”</p><p>“Oh, I thought you’d never ask. Well, it looks that Taeyong hasn’t really answered our email” Mark doubts for a second about what email Baekhyun is talking about, to remember then that <em> oh, he’s talking about my wedding email. </em> The recognition in Mark’s eyes encourages Baekhyun to continue “Yes, so, <em> that email. </em> It happens that I already bought you a gift, but I don’t even know <em> when </em> is you wedding-”</p><p>“That’s because I didn’t invite you-”</p><p>“You <em> hurt </em> me, Mark Lee” Mark rolls his eyes.</p><p>“See, it’s not a personal thing against you. It is a very, <em> very </em> small wedding. Only Ten and Taeyong are-”</p><p>“Mark, invite your poor friend and his boyfriend. Two more persons won’t make a difference-” Mark doesn’t like how easy it is for Ten to get in Baekhyun’s lab when he’s around. It is as if he sensed him and decided it was the best moment to appear and make his life impossible. Mark seriously needs to talk with Yukhei about his choices of friends.</p><p>“But the place, and the food-”</p><p>“I’ll give you the new password, <em> Morkie” </em></p><p>“You’re not allowed to call me like that” he protests weakly, but Baekhyun is already writing the password in a pink post-it. He looks at Ten, feeling cornered.</p><p>“It’ll be ok, I promise” Mark sighs, before he tells him that he’ll bring him an invitation tomorrow.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Should I be worried about the maniatic look Baekhyun was giving to you?” he says as soon as he hands Mark a latte and opens the door of their car for him. Mark gets in the car silently and Yukhei cocks an eyebrow, but he doesn’t pressure his fiancé. “Mark?” he asks again, when he is inside the car too.</p><p>“Do you think-? Nevermind, Baekhyun and Ten are always a bad idea”</p><p>“What are you talking about this time, <em> Mork? </em> Did you smell Ten’s reactives again?”</p><p>“I wish” Yukhei thinks Mark is being weird, more than usual. He doesn’t take the comment by heart, because a tired Mark always says the weirdest things. “Did you buy Aquarelle’s food?” Yukhei nods as he starts the engine and Mark sips his latte.</p><p>“It’s getting more expensive”</p><p>“I swear that cat is more spoiled than you, and that’s saying a lot” Yukhei hums.</p><p>“Well, it’s better than a child. At least she doesn’t need diapers, and she doesn’t wake you up at three in the morning”</p><p>“You’re damn fucking right” Mark and Yukhei are not made for taking care of children. Mark has a short temper and Yukhei is too soft for his own good. And given their lifestyle, it would be impossible for them to take care of one, and that’s not considering the adoption center paperwork to allow a same sex couple to have a kid (not a baby, because a child is already work enough).</p><p>He keeps driving in silence for a while, enjoying the twenty minutes ride from the university to their flat.</p><p>“Well, at least your nephew will take care of us when we’re old-” Yukhei says after a while.</p><p>“Don’t talk about him, I’m still mad he broke the PS controller”</p><p>“Your brother paid for the new one” he reminds Mark.</p><p>“I don’t care. I couldn’t play Lego for a whole week” Yukhei stops at a red light and turns around to look at a pouting Mark. He pulls him quickly to kiss his forehead and Mark blushes, not finding what to do other than sipping his latte again.</p><p>“You’re really a five years old child, Mark Lee”</p><p>“Says the one that sleeps with a spiderman blanket” it’s Yukhei’s turn to pout.</p><p>“Spiderman is cool”</p><p>“I know, dude” Mark smiles at Yukhei when he looks at him. They enjoy the rest of the ride in silence (except for Yukhei’s humming to the songs on the radio, and Mark occasionally singing too).</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I barely had time to write these days.<br/>This is one of the chapters I had to delay, and I decided to publish it now.<br/>I don't have much to tell now since I have to go back to work and finish my reports, but I hope you enjoyed it.</p><p>Thank you everyone who's reading. I's so so so happy with all your support ♥<br/>Let's read us soon, shall we?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. [ d i s h e s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chores, breakfast and a stolen hoodie.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Yukhei was younger, and he still lived with his parents in Hong Kong, he hated to do chores, more interested in playing video games or going out with his friends. And he couldn't understand why his mother never allowed him to wash the dishes when it was cold, if he had more endurance than her and she could develop arthritis or something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he moved out to Toronto and he found out that doing chores, especially washing the dishes, with warm water during the winter warms the hands wonderfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark doesn't cook oftenly because he hates to wash dishes. Yukhei, on the other hand, doesn't seem to mind neither cooking nor washing dishes (see above), he says it calms him, so it's not weird for Mark to wake up on a weekend to find Yukhei woke up an hour ago to cook half of the food in their fridge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That Sunday, Mark wakes up when Aquarelle licks his ear and tickles him with her whiskers. Mark chuckles, before he decides it's enough and scolds the cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aquarelle, God! Lemme sleep, it's Sunday… Yukhei, your-" Mark turns around to find the right side of the bed is empty. It's incredible how the taller of them can slip out of the bed without Mark noticing it. Maybe Yukhei is less clumsy than he initially thought or maybe he's like a rock when he's asleep. "He's in the kitchen, isn't him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aquarelle jumps over Mark's chest who emits a small whimper in protest. When she jumps out of his chest (and out of the bed), he turns around to put on his glasses and check the hour on his phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you doing awake at ten, Wong Yukhei?" reluctantly, Mark leaves the bed too, walking barefoot to the kitchen, where Yukhei is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yukhei can't stay in bed after nine. It is better now than before, that he woke up at seven and he immediately started to do chores, like laundry and sweeping, waking up Mark not too long after that, because of the noise. They fought several times because Mark said weekends were for resting and Yukhei countered they were for cleaning and buying groceries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took them about a year of living together to find a balance. Now Mark doesn't complain about Yukhei waking up early if he doesn't wake him up too, and Yukhei can do all the chores he wants to if he keeps the noise at minimum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wakes up because Aquarelle purrs in his ear, asking him for food. But he goes to the bathroom before feeding her. He spends five good minutes there, just because he gets distracted watching his instagram feed and when he realizes he left the door of the bathroom half open is too late because Aquarelle is already over his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh girl, can you not wait until I'm done?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>Aquarelle gives him a somewhat offended look, as if saying 'I don't understand when you speak Cantonese, human'. Yukhei doesn't notice his brain still hasn't turned on the English switch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His spoiled girl eats a can of wet food while he cleans her litter box. He then collects the garbage to take them to the containers out of their building. Yukhei is too lazy to take one of his own hoodies from their bedroom (and he doesn't want to risk waking up his fiancé), so he wears the hoodie Mark left on the sofa, even when the sleeves are too short for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he returns, he doesn't take off the hoodie, totally forgetting about it to focus on the tasks he imposed himself to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He picks all the clothes in the bathroom and the bedroom to wash them and when the washing machine is already working, he sweeps the wooden floor and prepares the breakfast, starting to pile up dishes in the sink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Dude, your cat licked my ear" Yukhei jumps, startled. "Have she eaten?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Morning, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yes, I already fed her" Mark walks to his fiancé, still half asleep and rubbing his eyes under the round glasses. He stands on his tiptoes to give Yukhei his good morning kiss. Yukhei frowns "You should brush your teeth, sweetheart"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Morning, love. Whatcha cookin'?" Mark ignores Yukhei's advice totally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pancakes, I'm almost done"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll help you with the dishes" Yukhei feels touched, Mark rarely offers himself to wash the dishes, but as much as he loves him for volunteering and spare him some minutes of his life doing housework, he still has cold hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't, I'm cold, I'll do it"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do I help you with, then?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing really, I'm almost done" he repeats "Choose where we are going to eat" Mark nods, but he stays there in the kitchen, watching his fiancé cooking and washing the dishes after that. It only clicks when he rolls up the sleeves of his own navy blue Toronto's University hoodie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that mine?" Yukhei only flashes him a smirk.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What a weekend, OMG.<br/>I just came home, I visited my parents and I went to the city to get my new glasses and my tooth fixed. And I saw my best friend to give her a lot of things I've been keeping for her during this 8 months of lockdown.</p><p>See? I told you this was awfully domestic. I don't know why Mark and Yukhei always give me this sort of vibes.<br/>Thank you so much for your support, I sincerely wish you're enjoying it~</p><p>Let's read us soon, ok?<br/>Hopefully, this month is less chaotic than September and I can write a little bit more constantly :&lt;.<br/>Please, take care ❤️❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. [ p o b l a n o ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Watching cooking tutorials from a former porn star.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yukhei pauses the video he chose to watch with Mark, before it starts. In the kitchen, Mark is still struggling with the instant noodles, so Yukhei comes back to help him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything alright, babe?” Mark turns around, handing Yukhei a closed cup of noodles and Yukhei cocks an eyebrow when Mark doesn’t give him an explanation “What do you want me to do with this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t open it, man. Can you open it for me, please baby?” Yukhei loves the way Mark talks to him. He hasn’t lost his distinctive way of talking, a casual mix of friendliness and chillness, with a hint of sass, but still so polite. It isn’t weird for him when his fiancé calls him like he would call any other of his friends, it’s just part of who he is. As well as is part of his small partner to call him ‘dude’ and in the next sentence call him ‘love’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just have to pull it with more strength” Yukhei wants to make a playful remark, but he doesn’t want to ruin the sweet atmosphere Mark created without noticing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew it” Yukhei chuckles when he hands the open cup to Mark “Now, can you help me pour the water? I’m afraid I’ll spill everything” Yukhei takes the pot with boiling water to pour in the two cups. “What do you want to drink? Milk or juice?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark is now used to Yukhei drinking milk with almost every possible meal. Is it sweet? Milk. Is it salty? Milk. Is it spicy? Milk. At first, he thought his boyfriend was a disgusting human being, but as soon as he explained (a lot of times, if we’re being honest) that drinking milk with lunch was almost like drinking flavored water, he was ok with it. He even tried it a few times too, to discover it wasn’t that unpleasant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Maybe juice and then milk?” the smaller of them takes out grape juice from the fridge and takes it to the living room, with no glasses (they’re going to drink it straight from the carton, there’s no need to get glasses dirty if there are just the two of them).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are we going to watch today?” Mark asks as he takes his fork from the table, leaving the chopsticks for Yukhei (the native Asian who grew up eating with chopsticks). He blows the steam away from his chicken noodles before he starts to eat. Yukhei plays the video and Mark frowns when he watches the title. "Isn't she an-?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Mark isn’t a porn expert. He had watched a few videos when he was younger, but only the ones his friends shared with him. He knows some names though, and of course Sasha Grey figures in that list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She was" Yukhei confirms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Was? As in 'she isn't anymore'?" Mark hasn’t apparently caught up with this topic, because the last time he checked (was it a year ago or longer?), she was still making that sort of videos, and now they are watching her cooking ‘chiles en nogada’, whatever that is. "I thought you didn't like women"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't, but, you know... It took me a while to figure it out" Mark doesn't say anything else because he knows that story by heart (Yukhei told him he liked to imagine himself in the place of the girls and not the boys), and anyway, he wants to finish the tutorial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Yukhei is fine with him watching cooking tutorials from a former porn star (one that Mark considers beautiful, by the way), then he’s fine with it too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that he wants it to be any other way, but he has heard Taeyong complaining of how Johnny switches to jealous mode whenever Taeyong is watching Avengers just because he once said he finds Thor attractive. He guesses that if Yukhei was like that, he would be jealous like 100% of the time since Mark likes both men and women, unlike Yukhei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They watch Sasha peeling the pomegranate in a bowl of water and cooking the meat and Mark can't help but wonder if it's tasty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you think it tastes?" he asks after they had been watching the video for eight minutes in complete silence (except for Yukhei's slurping sounds). Aquarelle is now over Yukhei’s lap, completely asleep. His fiancé, with his mouth stuffed with teriyaki ramen, shrugs his shoulders, as he tries to swallow the food in his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dish looks interesting, though Mark isn’t sure how it would taste with all that mix of flavors (so far now, he has counted more than ten ingredients in it).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want me to cook them for you?" Yukhei finally says, after he drinks some grape juice. Mark is not opposed to the idea, except that he doesn’t know where they are going to find half of the ingredients.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where are we going to find chile poblano here, 'Hei?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that a no?" Mark rolls his eyes. Yukhei can be very stubborn when it’s about pleasing Mark (which is a way to also get what he wants but he doesn't voice out it loud).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that isn’t a no. Is a ‘where are we going to find chile poblano here?’ ”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, there should be a Mexican store where we can find it”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Babe, I don’t know if you heard that it’s a dish that can only be prepared from August to September. It’s October” Yukhei turns around to look at Mark, with noodles in between his chopsticks, pouting. Mark feels a bit uncomfortable, because he doesn’t like when Yukhei is sad “Hey, there’s always next year” he offers tentatively, and that seems to convince Yukhei because he smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next year we’ll be married already, so I can prepare them for our first anniversary”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haven’t you heard me before? Just from August to September, ‘Hei” but the taller one isn't listening to Mark anymore. Somewhere along their discussion, Aquarelle jumped from Yukhei’s lap, and Mark didn’t notice until his fiancé stood up to go to the kitchen for something else to eat.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If you can’t beat them...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring me cookies!” Mark yells, as he keeps watching the video interested, as the part of the sauce starts.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chiles en nogada are stuffed with beef or pork, with pear, peach, apple, raisins, almonds, some garlic, pepper and salt. This is covered with a sauce made of cream, Castilla nuts and sugar, sparkled with pomengranate. It may seem that is a lot of flavors, and they are, but I swear is delicious. As I said, is a dish that can't be prepared in any other month apart from August and September because those are the months when all the fruits needed for the preparation are available.<br/>I knew Sasha Grey was doing these kind of videos because my boyfriend was watching them.<br/>I hope this chapter has given you more hints about Mark and Yukhei's relationship.</p><p>Thank you for reading, please take care ♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. [ j a w ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Night routine pt.2</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark is playing on his phone as he waits for Yukhei to get ready to sleep. Yukhei’s night routine usually consists of him going to the bathroom two or three times before he just decides to ignore his bladder and tell himself than resting is more important than going to piss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So far now, this is his second time, and he still doesn’t get inside the blankets, which tells Mark that he will go to the bathroom again. He’s worried because it is already past eleven in the night and Yukhei has to wake up early to go to work, but not that worried because he knows Yukhei is an early creature. What has his head busy is the fact that Yukhei’s kidneys seem to work improperly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has urged him a ton of times to visit the nephrologist and ask for a treatment, but Yukhei has been ignoring him for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He says there’s no remedy since it is a consequence of him being under years of antibiotics treatment when he was a child. He explained to Mark that from two to seven years old, he had throat infections almost every two weeks, and he had to take antibiotics that were getting stronger as he grew up, until the doctor told his parents the best option for him was to extirp his tonsils.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, Yukhei rarely gets ill, but when he does...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I go to the bathroom again?” Yukhei wonders to himself aloud and Mark just raises his eyes from his phone to direct a brief glance to his fiancé.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, should you? I’m not changing any blankets” Mark now jokes about it, but at the beginning it was his biggest worry in the world. He doesn’t know how a urinary infection feels like, even when he has seen Yukhei having a few during the course of the years. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Can you control when you need to pee?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei told him that in fact, it was the opposite. You had the </span>
  <em>
    <span>urge</span>
  </em>
  <span> to pee, but when you try, nothing comes out, just a few drops, and it is frustrating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I need to pee”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then go” Mark offers, peacefully. As solidarity for the cause, he doesn’t turn off the light until Yukhei tells him that he will go to sleep. Even then, Mark waits to fall asleep until Yukhei falls asleep too, worried about him waking up to go to the bathroom again. “You won’t be comfortable if you don’t, ‘Hei. You know that” Yukhei growls when he stands up from the bed and Mark sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just one more time” the younger nods absentmindedly. Yukhei walks barefoot to the bathroom, taking care that Aquarelle doesn’t leave their bedroom (she sleeps with them).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In this last time, Mark hears Yukhei brushing his teeth, which is the sign that he already gave up for the night and he’s ready for sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei walks into their bedroom again, getting inside the blankets this time and Mark doesn’t turn around when Yukhei just lays there, with his chest pressed against the mattress and his right hand pressed over his belly, in an attempt to get rid of the never ending sensation. It works like magic because Yukhei is sleepy in no time. Mark then decides to turn off the light, but he doesn’t turn off his phone screen just yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Mork?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei is choosing an ASMR for the night, with his earphones already plugged to his phone. Mark has his own earphones playing music in a low volume.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?” he answers, still playing on his phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you” Yukhei mumbles, turning around just a bit to give Mark a slight kiss on his jaw, that Mark turns into a lip kiss, nothing too long, just a quick soft peck, but for them it’s enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too” Yukhei feels happy with that answer. He once told Mark that if he died in his sleep, it would be nice that the last thing they heard from each other was the reminder of their love, and Mark conceded it as a fair point. So now, every night, before they go to sleep, those words are exchanged. </span>
  <span>It doesn’t matter that they don’t face each other when they’re sleeping most of the time, just when the weather it’s cold enough for it. It doesn’t matter that they had their earphones, each one listening to different stuff to fall asleep. It doesn’t matter Aquarelle sleeps in between them most of the time. They go to sleep knowing that their love is beyond physical contact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark turns off the light when Yukhei is breathing deeply, sign that he already fell asleep.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>When you live with someone, no one tells you there are going to be things you don't know about them.<br/>Things that aren't in their control, and you can just learn to live with them. You can just care about them and hide your worries in the back of your mind.</p><p>I know I didn't update as often as I'm used to. It <i>does</i> seem that October will be worse than September at the end, and November doesn't look better. I'll be a bit more busy than I'm usually are, so... I'm sorry in advance.</p><p>I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you everyone for reading!<br/>Let's read us soon, ok? &lt;3<br/>Take care!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. [ m e l t i n g p o i n t ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Predicting One Piece's plot twists through science.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yukhei and Mark don't have the same hobbies. For what it concerns to Mark, Yukhei can watch all the motorbike videos he wants as long as he doesn't disturb him as he draws. Yukhei loves video games, while Mark loves to cook desserts. Yukhei watches movies and series only because Mark insists and the mathematician can't understand Yukhei's fascination with languages and books.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It shouldn't be a surprise that they have shared hobbies, though. Mark's recent fascination with Devil May Cry is something that pleases Yukhei, who happily explains the story to his fiancé as they play DMC4's missions. And Mark has found Yukhei using his Crunchyroll account to watch Miss Kobayashi's dragon maid.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On free days, Yukhei and Mark will be too busy on their own phones to talk to themselves for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Usually, because Mark feels bad leaving Yukhei alone, they stay in bed, touching some part of their bodies (either Mark's leg over Yukhei's thigh or Yukhei's head over Mark's lap, depending on the weather), but in total silence, wearing headphones. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lost in their own worlds.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Today, Yukhei watches recipes on Youtube to try some day, and Mark watches One Piece. Aquarelle is resting in between Yukhei's legs, asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's been hours, Yukhei doesn't even realize how late it is until his stomach growls. Mark is too entranced to notice Yukhei is staring at him, trying to get his attention without interrupting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After some minutes more (about the time the ending starts), Mark raises his eyes from the screen and frowns, but he still manages to smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Mork, </span>
  </em>
  <span>it's late. Aren't you hungry?" Mark takes some seconds to check his body and he nods when he discovers the slight discomfort on his stomach. "I'm going to prepare instant ramen because I'm not in the mood of cooking, do you want some?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark stands up first, not caring about finding some sandals and deciding to walk barefoot. Aquarelle looks at him in protest, but then she decides to sleep again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll help you"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Babe, weren't you complaining this morning about how, and I quote, 'fucking draining can your damn students be'?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I told you I was going to help you, dude. I'm not that tired" Mark pouts, and Yukhei knows to better keep his mouth shut and walk to the kitchen in silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yukhei starts heating the pot with water, while Mark looks for the ramen in the cupboard. The taller one looks for something to eat, preferably something sweet, while they wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So... Yukhei?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm?" Yukhei has his mouth stuffed with marshmallows, so he can't really reply something else. As he chews, Mark keeps talking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can a diamond freeze?" Yukhei frowns, as he swallows the marshmallows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean with 'freeze'?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, there's a temperature in which the water turns from liquid into solid-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The freezing point?" Mark nods and Yukhei wonders if he should eat another marshmallow since the water isn't boiling yet, but he first answer to the smaller one "Diamonds don't have a freezing point</span>
  <em>
    <span> Mork, </span>
  </em>
  <span>they're solid"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but... Can you freeze them? Make them more fragile?" Yukhei forgoes his sweet threat in favor of frowning again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I suppose...? I mean, you can freeze them at whatever temperature you want, but that wouldn't make them more fragile. If anything, they'd turn into superconductors" Yukhei knows this is not the end of it, and he regrets even answering to his fiancé, because he's hungry and he won't eat until Mark's doubts are solved "Can you pass me the ramen?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But a superconductor doesn't need to be at absolute zero?" he wonders, as he hands Yukhei the two cups of instant noodles. Yukhei opens them, to have them ready to pour the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, yes... but that would be like an ideal superconductor. Absolute zero can't be reached yet" Yukhei thinks this will be the end of the questions for the day since Mark remains silent for a while. He can pour the water in peace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"At which temperature they are frozen enough to become a superconductor?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A diamond can't freeze, </span>
  <em>
    <span>doctor Lee"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he's two seconds away from strangling his fiancé for his weird questions. Now he understands why Mark gives him that insufferable look when he asks tons of questions about Math.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Babe, I think you're not understanding. Freezing is not the decrease of the temperature... Or well, it is, but is not that simple. The temperature is just the way we measure the energy of an object, more energy means more temperature. As you decrease the energy, the atoms are arranged into definite structures, turning the substances into liquid or solids. The freezing point is the point where a liquid turns into solid. That means 'freeze', a change of state. You can't freeze a diamond since it's already solid"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei is practically yelling at this point, maybe thinking that if he talks louder, Mark would understand better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You would make an awful professor, 'Hei" Yukhei rolls his eyes as he takes the cooked ramen to the living room. "But thank you, I understand now" Mark gives his fiancé a kiss on the neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome, baby"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei turns on the TV so they can watch it as they eat. Some minutes of slurping are apparently enough time to allow Mark to think of his next question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So... Yukhei? What do you know about the thermodynamic laws?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You should stop trying to predict what is going to happen in One Piece based on the science, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It's not real" Mark shrugs his shoulders, but he still keeps staring at Yukhei, waiting for his answer.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again, this is based in my brother and his weird questions. He calls at random hours, asking science details. Sometimes I answer him right away, some other times I have to google what his asking me because I simply don't know.<br/>Sometimes I wonder how it would be to have a more 'normal' young brother, asking me how to talk to the girl/boy he likes. Well, I mean, I'm not complaining, but it sure is weird.</p><p>Ah, yes... I almost forgot.<br/>I updated the tags of the story because of the next chapter. Maybe you get an idea of what it would be about~ Aren't you excited? I am~</p><p>Thank you everyone for reading, I hope you are enjoying the story ❤️❤️<br/>Please, take care!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. [ y o u r s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The wedding.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What are all those people doing here, babe? I thought we said this will be something intimate...” Mark tries not to rub his temples before he looks at Yukhei in his black tuxedo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is all your fault, Wong” he hisses “Everyone in the university found out we were going to get married and Baekhyun threatened me that if I didn’t give him an invitation, I wouldn’t be allowed to use his computer for my tests anymore. So, I invited him, and he invited everyone else” he folds his arms over his own white tuxedo jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure the food will be enough...” Yukhei worries, but honestly, he’s not the only one because Mark sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I told him, but he and Ten told me not to worry about it. I’m a bit scared” Yukhei feels bad because Mark shouldn’t be worrying on their wedding day, and it makes him feel a bit guilty. But he also can tell that he’s happy because all his friends (even when he says they aren’t) are here. Their budget for their wedding wasn’t a big one, so they had to choose carefully who was going to assist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know Ten’s scary, but he never disappoints you, does he?” Mark doesn’t answer. Yukhei just fixes Mark’s white bowtie. “You look gorgeous, I can’t believe I’m marrying you today~” Mark frowns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Don’t try to change the topic, Yukhei. I’m still very mad at you because this is all your fault”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, ok. I admit it. It’s my fault, but... can you be angry with me tomorrow? Let’s enjoy our wedding today” Yukhei comes closer to the other groom and slowly massages his shoulders, trying not to get dirty the white clothes. Mark sighs because his fiancé is right but he doesn’t want to admit it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, ok. There’s no use in being angry since everyone is already here. If the food isn’t enough, I guess we’ll just have to give them half the portion or whatever. Anyway, I’m sure your mother is already wondering where we are. I don’t know why she hasn’t come to knock on the door yet”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She won’t. I told her that if she started to bother us I’ll take you to Europe and we will marry in Paris, just the two of us” Mark laughs, forgetting about the whole issue with the guests and the food. He still thinks that if it were for Yukhei, they would have married without no one knowing (even if that would have implied Ten ignoring him for a whole month). So, he’s happy he got his way with the wedding, even if it’s a small one.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready?” Yukhei asks Mark at the entrance of the garden. The judge is already waiting for them, as well as their guests (that should be around twenty, but ended up being fifty). He is holding Mark’s hand, stroking it lightly with his thumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m nervous” he whispers, as he takes Yukhei’s hand to his lips to give it a light kiss. After that, he intertwines their fingers, and Yukhei stops rubbing soothing circles, because he notices that isn’t helping Mark at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here” he whispers back before they start to walk. "You won't regret this at the last minute, right?" Mark is shaking and Yukhei knows he's terrified, as well as he is (only that he’s trying not to show it). Even when they're just making it official since they've been living together for years and to their families they're already married anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would I? I proposed, your ring was expensive" Mark whispers back and Yukhei smiles "Are you sure you want to do this, Yukhei? There's no turning back after this" he stops and Mark stops too, fear reflecting in his eyes. The music is still playing softly in the background, creating a soft atmosphere. They don’t realize their family and friends are staring at them, worryingly (except for Ten, who is wondering why the hell they are taking so long if the song is going to end soon).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark, I've been yours since our first class together" Mark cocks an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please, that was the first time we met-" Yukhei smiles and Mark feels a warmth spreading all over his chest, calming him "Oh" Mark smiles too, starting to walk again.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark Lee and Yukhei Wong?" the judge asks when they arrive at the end of the improvised aisle and they nod "Do you have the license, please?" Mark watches how Yukhei takes it out from the inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket and he feels suddenly relieved. "Thank you. We're all ready to begin, shall we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They decided for a civil wedding, since none of them can be considered really religious (studying hard-science and that all makes you pretty skeptic to some things). To be honest, besides that, nothing about this wedding is traditional at all, except for the fact that one of them is wearing white and the other one is wearing black </span>
  <em>
    <span>and tuxedos.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tuxedos are something to wear on weddings, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>No one is waiting for no one at the end of the aisle, because Mark is nervous as hell and walking to the judge alone (either to wait for Yukhei or towards him) will give him a panic attack. There are no flowers because Yukhei is allergic to pollen, but there are a lot of green plants. And they’re marrying in the morning, not in the night so they can take their flight tomorrow morning </span>
  <em>
    <span>(honeymoon, yey!).</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Their wedding has no vows, nor 'you may kiss the groom now' or whatever is supposed to be said in these occasions. Instead, they just sign a book where their names are already written after the judge reads their new obligations as a conjugal society.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That would be all, gentlemen. You're officially married. You may seal your union with a kiss" Mark certainly wasn't expecting that, nor Yukhei suddenly leaning to kiss him in front of all of their friends and family, but the world disappears as soon as he feels his soft lips over his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The applause from all of their guests bring them back to the garden and they smile at each other, knowingly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not now, but later.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God, you did all this?" Mark is completely impressed when they enter the small hall. Ten gives him his best smirk. "Dude, this is awesome!" Mark has his arm still on Yukhei's waist as he looks marveled at all the food his friend brought them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hope you like it, we spend the whole night cooking it..."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"We?</span>
  </em>
  <span> We who?" Yukhei doesn't understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Taeyong and Johnny helped me with this" Yukhei is surprised his friends cooked for them. He knows that Taeyong doesn’t mind cooking or anyone, the man is certainly gifted in that aspect, </span>
  <em>
    <span>but Johnny? </span>
  </em>
  <span>The doctor couldn’t cook to save his life. He only hopes no one gets food poisoning today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That bastard told me he had guard yesterday!" Mark whines and Ten laughs. "I was freaking out alone while you were cooking, you-!" Mark stops, when Yukhei kisses the forehead of his </span>
  <em>
    <span>husband.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, it wasn’t that bad, right </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you all mind paying me attention?” Mark hides his face in Yukhei’s chest when he hears Baekhyun’s voice. “Hey, hey! Everyone, I have some announcement to do!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your friend is already drunk, darling” Yukhei observes, almost giggling and Mark can’t help a groan coming out of his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not my friend, he’s just a damn stupid coworker I appreciate too much, it seems” Yukhei positively giggles this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone, I’m so happy to be here, witnessing the wedding of the shy antisocial Mark Lee. I adore him so much, the man made me earn five hundred dollars... One week more, and all the money would have gone to Taemin, that bastard” Yukhei saw Taemin somewhere in the reception, and he laughs because he knows the other is probably frowning “But I swear I used it for something good! He and his husband deserve it” Ten appears behind Baekhyun, frowning, ready to put his hand over his mouth to shut him up “I hope you enjoy the vibrator, sweetheart. It cost a little fortune-” Ten effectively shuts him up, pulling him down the improvised stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking Jesus, he didn’t say that, did he?” Mark is beet red and Yukhei is speechless, though the smaller of them can’t tell if he’s embarrassed or interested. “My nephew is here, dammit...” Yukhei shrugs his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He probably didn’t understand what that is” Mark keeps whining until Ten appears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, guys” he walks followed by another guy they don’t recognize just yet, but it rings a bell in Yukhei’s mind “We couldn’t stop him on time. Chanyeol already took him out of here, he says he has had enough wine for a day” they nod, it’s barely four in the afternoon, but the party is about to finish, anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, it’s not your fault” Yukhei comments, staring at the other guy, trying to remember the name “Yuta? That you?” the other man nods “It’s been ages, man! What are you doing here? I thought you were training-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t miss your wedding, dude. And I’m on a rest, I hurt my knee on the last match-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right. Ten told me, it just escaped from my mind. How long are you staying? Where are you going to stay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m staying with Ten, for a month or two, not really sure yet. It depends on how long it takes me to recover”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s great, we’ll pop in later, then” Ten fakely coughs, trying to get back their attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, yes. Lovely meeting, guys. But you” he points at Mark and Yukhei “still need to thank all the people for coming, dancing, eating cake and all that wedding stuff. And you” he points at Yuta “can’t stay up for long periods, so you need to sit now. Shush everyone, we’ll talk later”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Mark and Yukhei walk to their table again, Mark asks “Who was he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuta”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuta?” Mark frowns, trying to remember where he heard the name “As in ‘Nakamoto Yuta’? The soccer player?” Now, he's not a great fan of the sport but Yukhei seems to love it. He has surely heard Yuta's name there. "You didn’t tell me you were friends with a star”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s more friends with Ten than with me. They met in highschool, he came to visit Ten from time to time in between his training when we were in college. It’s been two years since I last saw him, I think”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He seems cool”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let him fool you, it’s Ten's evil twin”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But Ten is evil" Mark looks confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark can't stop staring at Yukhei, </span>
  <em>
    <span>his husband,</span>
  </em>
  <span> talking with his mom and telling her he will take care of him. She suddenly realizes Mark is looking at them and she tells something to Yukhei, who looks at him and smiles. Mark blinks when Yukhei starts moving towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey cutie, are you with the groom or... the other groom?" Mark rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God, please <em>don't...</em> You’re still awful at pick lines" Yukhei laughs, but he doesn’t stop his act.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you honor me with a dance, handsome?" Mark doesn’t want to admit it, but he blushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will you leave me alone after that?" he finally says with a smile that Yukhei mirrors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As you wish, gorgeous" he bows slightly before he holds Mark's hand and leads him to the center of the place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark doesn't know the name of the song, but he remembers it, from a distant memory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Isn't this-?" Yukhei nods. It's the first song they danced together. They were already living together and they came from a party in Ten's house (he's one of Yukhei's friends from the University). They were a bit tipsy, and holding each other not to fall. Yukhei's phone started to play a random song when it connected to their Bluetooth speakers and they started to dance, uncoordinated and laughing too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is" Yukhei doesn't know about Mark, but for him it was that moment when he realized he wanted to spend his whole life with him, and if he hadn't proposed to him first, Yukhei would have done it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark lifts his arm from Yukhei's shoulder to stroke his jaw and Yukhei tilts his head. Mark's hand remains there, as they move with the tempo. Mark smiles because he can't believe how lucky he is because he married a perfect man. Yukhei smiles back, thinking exactly the same thing.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I couldn't wait more for updating this, so here you are. Yukhei and Mark's wedding.<br/>I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you so much for reading!<br/>I'll try to update the next planned chapter soon, but so far, I only have the idea of what I want to write and I haven't written it yet.<br/>I'm going to be busy doing inventory at my work... I'm sorry if I disappear for some days (longer than usual, that's it).</p><p>Well...<br/>In case we can't read each other soon, happy halloween to everyone!<br/>Stay home, as temptting as it sounds going out, and wash your hands~<br/>Read us soon ;)<br/>🧡🖤🍬🎃</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. [ v i d e o ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The proposal.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark wasn't actively trying to propose to Yukhei, it was something that just... </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And it wasn't like he didn't want to get married with the love of his life, it was the fact that the rings were so expensive, that it was out of their budget.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grandparents were traditionalists. For them, men only were meant to marry women, any other form of love was antinatural. But also, Mark was their favorite grandson (don't tell Mark's brother that), so they accepted him for who he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, they had the hope Mark would find a good girl to be with and eventually marry, but with the time, it was obvious that that wasn't going to happen, and not just because Mark was more inclined to date guys, but also because every girl she dated was a disaster bigger than the last one (one even went as far as claiming Mark got her pregnant).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a cold day of autumn when a twenty-six years old Mark was visiting his grandparents in Korea, and they called him to their bedroom. As soon as Mark was in the room, they invited him to sit on their bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Grandpa?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark practiced Korean when he spoke to his parents, but other than that, his abilities to communicate were basic. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Is everything alright?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> his grandfather nodded, offering him a smile and that was when Mark noticed the small box in his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Minhyung, you know we don't really know much about those new relationships between men" </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mark stilled, suddenly nervous. He thought that awkward phase with his grandparents was over </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Do they propose to their significant other the same way I did to your grandma?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark scratched his nape.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I guess so?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>he didn't realize his grandfather smiled at his grandmother.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Has this boy, Yukhei, already proposed?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>his grandmother asked this time. Mark gasped, coughed and blushed, in that order. He looked at his grandparents, mortified. They did have the right to ask about their future plans, given that they've been together for almost five years.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh, no no-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"But you live together, right?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>his grandfather questioned this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Yes, but that's not-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Or are you planning proposing to him, Minhyung?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark didn't remember his grandparents being this nosy. Mark blushed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh, that's the reason then"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Well, part of it. A ring is very expensive, and we're tight on our budget-" </span>
  </em>
  <span>his grandmother pressed a finger over his lips to silence him. Mark stopped talking and waited patiently for his grandparents to show him something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grandfather offered him the box and Mark opened it, hesitantly. He closed it immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I can't take it, grandpa"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wanted to return it to his grandfather, but he didn't accept it back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Why are you giving it to me?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Minhyung, we love you. And we know you love Yukhei, and he loves you too"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark opened the box to look at his grandfather's wedding ring. It meant so much to Mark that they gave it to him, so he could propose Yukhei. If well it wasn't the model he was planning to get for him, it felt more adequate.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Thank you"</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The ring was in Mark's drawer for a while. It was there long enough that Yukhei found it (not that the younger hid it particularly well) and asked what it was. Mark, who didn't (and still doesn't) know how to lie, had to tell Yukhei the truth. That his grandfather gave him his wedding ring and he adjusted it to his size so one day he could propose to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It kind of spoiled the surprise, sure, but Yukhei didn't mind. Knowing himself important enough to have Mark's grandpa's wedding ring worth it, even when he was already budgeting rings on his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei never tried it to see if the ring fitted him, he thought it was bad luck, and even if it wasn't, he didn't want to see the ring in all its detailed glory, he would find out when Mark decided to give it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Months and months passed by and they became years. Being sure that they would marry someday was enough promise that they were compromised to each other, and they didn't want to change their dynamic. They were fine like that, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also, marrying was expensive. They were paying for their car and buying a new house, instead of that expensive flat near the university. That, and Aquarelle's asthma barely left them some money to do something else. And they loved to travel, so most of their spare money was for visiting a new destination.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I swear that if I hear you saying 'my boyfriend' one more time, I'm going to choke you" Ten said once when they were in the teachers' room of the university "It's ridiculous considering you've been living together for what? Six years?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seven, actually" Mark mumbled and Ten growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly my fucking point. Hasn't he grown ball enoughs to ask you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No... Actually... I<em>kindoftoldhimIwasgoingtopropose"</em> Mark spoke fast, hoping Ten wouldn't understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Woah, wait. Did I hear right?" Taeyong got in the room and Mark frowned "Are you going to propose to Yukhei? When?" Mark was thankful no one was in the teachers' room at that hour, it would have been awful to explain to his assessor he was going to get married in the near future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Soon, I expect" Ten answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, so you don't know when yet. What a shame" Taeyong hung up his jacket on a chair and went straight to the coffee machine to get a latte "I swear the fucking brats are pissing me off on purpose, stupid basic mistakes, signs rules" Mark thanked for the change of topic, but Ten didn't let it slip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And well?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When are you proposing to my best friend?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I... don't know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Markie. Come on, you sure can think of the perfect time to propose to him" Ten had that evil smile again and Mark actually shivered "Unless you want me and Baekhyun stepping in-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, thank you. I'd rather have Taeyong on that one-" Taeyong brought his latte to the table they were sitting and took a sip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What a wonderful idea, Mark! Taeyong will help you to propose Yukhei in the following weeks~"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?!" Taeyong almost spilled his coffee and Mark looked paranoid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Obviously, you have to record it for me because I'll be in a congress the following month... but sure you can manage something, <em>right?</em> I'm tired of hearing my bff hesitating about how to call you" the hidden threat made Mark and Taeyong shiver. "You're going to be a gentleman, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark nodded, not knowing what he got himself into.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark chose a day like any other day to be the </span>
  <em>
    <span>important </span>
  </em>
  <span>date. He asked Taeyong to come on a double date with him to a restaurant both Mark and Yukhei enjoyed for the live music, and that was only because </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid Ten</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted a fucking video of the proposal, as if he wasn't nervous enough already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But at the end, it worked out because Taeyong and Johnny picked up Yukhei from his work and they told him Mark had to stay running a few tests so he would be late. Yukhei, used to Mark's awful schedules, didn't say a single thing about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>On our way.</b>
  <span> The text read and Mark started to properly freak out, checking everything was perfect. He gave specific instructions in the restaurant about the food and the timing, and the music.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at his watch, they should be almost at the restaurant and he looked at his guitar, wondering what the fuck what he was going to do and if Yukhei would like it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe he could postpone it to any other day?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no time to regret because Taeyong was already signing their entrance. Yukhei looked handsome in his gray suit, that was perfectly complemented with a baby blue shirt that Mark gifted him on his birthday (he felt proud of himself for his good taste). Mark paled and took a step back, watching the love of his life laughing with their friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark took a few deep breaths, getting ready for the main event.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the meanwhile, Taeyong and Johnny distracted Yukhei by talking with him about God knows what, but he seemed interested. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, Mark loved when Yukhei looked all serious.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They even asked for something to drink, champagne probably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He waited for a few minutes until one of the waiter told him it was ok to proceed. He thanked her and he grabbed his guitar and walked to the stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The light on it was off, so Yukhei didn't notice him until he started to play his guitar. The lights were headed to him and the whole restaurant had their eyes on him. He was beyond nervous, his hands were shaking and he almost forced himself to sing in a mostly steady voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei couldn't take his eyes off Mark once he started singing the Sleeping with Sirens' song, one of his favorites. Mark was also staring at him, trying to ignore Johnny and the camera and the people in the restaurant watching them with awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the song finished, Mark left his guitar on the stage (the waiter from before picked it up and saved it in its case) and walked to his boyfriend, taking out the small box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mork"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark felt his nerves fading away when Yukhei's eyes started to fill with unshed tears. He effectively surprised him "You didn't-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark knelt in front of Yukhei, who thank goodness was still sitting (it is embarrassing enough that Yukhei is taller than Mark when they stood up, imagine Mark kneeling in front of a stood up Yukhei) and he opened the box, showing him the ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yukhei, I know we've been living together for years and that I already promised that I will live my whole life with you and that my heart and soul is for you to take and do whatever you want with it" Mark wasn't focusing on the camera, but in Yukhei's reaction, Johnny on his part was doing a perfect job recording it "But I still want to be a good boy for you, and do it properly, as I promised when we were younger and we still were broken college students" he took a deep breath, before asking "Wong Yukhei... Would you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei teared up, sobbed awfully and still managed to nod and pull Mark into a deep kiss, at the same time he urged him to put the ring on his finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Mork... </span>
  </em>
  <span>Dude, oh my- I thought you were never going to ask. I was starting to think I should buy a ring and propose to you instead" Mark kissed him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't be silly. I just... wanted to make it right"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I fucking love you, you know that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you too, man"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, dude! Can we eat now? Yong and I are starving" Mark didn't notice when Johnny paused the record.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Mark sings Yukhei <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUloKYEVoj0">this song</a>, 'Scene One' from Sleeping with Sirens, the acoustic version. I wanted to combine the SuperM's video of Mark's wedding proposal with him playing the guitar and a romantic song. Do you like the result?</p><p>Also, maybe you did realize that Mark mentioned Yukhei's ring was expensive. I feel in the need to clarify that because the ring per se wasn't expensive since he didn't pay anything for it, it was the process of getting it, since he had to go to Korea for it, and then was also the part of adjusting it, and that of course costed money, effort and time.</p><p>I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but as I told you, I've been awfully busy, and I just wanted to spend my free time resting. Hopefully, I don't have to work like that for a while.<br/>Thank you everyone for your support and patience! I sincerely wish you are enjoying their domestic fluffy life.</p><p>Let's read us soon, alright? Take care ♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. [ e q u a t i o n s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The honeymoon.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Convincing Mark to leave Aquarelle with Ten (and now Yuta too) for two weeks was the easy part of their honeymoon planification. Deciding where to go and save the money for it (and the wedding) was what gave them tons of headaches and migraines. Yukhei can’t understand why planning holidays was way easier than planning a honeymoon if essentially they were the same thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They argued for the destination, would it be a cold or warm place? Yukhei won that point, complaining that they always visited warm places (most of the time, at least), so Mark had to accept that visiting a relatively cold place (it isn’t winter yet) was ok for this time. However Yukhei couldn’t get away with all he wanted for their honeymoon, and Mark had a fair point in visiting something both relaxing and adventurous, because if it were for his husband, they will be camping for those two weeks and hunting their own food in Alaska).</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t forget to feed her twice a day, she eats wet food mixed with dry food in the mornings and dry foo-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mark, babe. I’m sure Ten memorized the instructions with 
the twenty times you have repeated them” Yukhei smiles apologetically to his friend but the other dismisses it. “Thank you for taking us to the airport” he says as he drags both his luggage and Mark’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Xuxi.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I have nothing better to do on a Sunday at six in the morning” Yukhei doesn’t take the sarcasm by heart, since Ten offers him a genuine smile. Yuta still looks half asleep, barely rocking his walking cane in his hand, just to have something to do. By his side, Mark is checking his watch insistently and Yukhei sighs. He doesn’t understand what has him so nervous if this isn’t the first time they travel. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Can it be because they’re married now?</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Johnny and Taeyong must arrive any minute now” he offers, trying to calm the mathematician.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only a heartbeat later, they hear the distinctive laugh of Baekhyun. Mark practically runs to them, Yukhei and the others stay behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you arrive so late, dude?!” Mark screeches and Yukhei tries not to shake his head as they walk back to them “I thought you wouldn’t come”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And miss the opportunity to watch you worrying over nothing again?”</span>
  <span> Johnny counters and Mark hufs “Baekhyun wanted to come to, so we picked them up” just then, Mark realizes Baekhyun and his boyfriend, Chanyeol, are in the airport too “I don’t know what has you so worried-” Mark cock an eyebrow about to jump at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give the kid his camera, honey” Taeyong tries to stop the inevitable fight between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not a kid, you dumb-” Yukhei squeezes his hand to calm him down. Taeyong and Yukhei look at each other in sympathy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby, just say ‘thank you’ to your friend. We have to check-in already” Mark pouts, with his ears completely red. It is unfair how they always pick on him, </span>
  <em>
    <span>is it because he’s the youngest?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei is older only by a few months. And he’s not even the smallest, since Ten is smaller than him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, John” he mumbles, trying not to look into his eyes, it’s ridiculous enough as it is. No one, except for Ten that cocks an eyebrow, says anything about the formal way Mark addresses his friend “I hope it helped you...” Yukhei knows there’s a bad word hidden in that long pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t you give me a goodbye kiss, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Markie?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> before Johnny can answer anything, Baekhyun asks, smirking. Yuta barely snorts, half laughing, half snoring. By his side, Chanyeol tries not to interfere with the exchange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I don’t know why you are here in the first place-” Mark thinks Baekhyun is a shameless human being, after what he told in front of his family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You hurt my feelings, Mark. I just wanted to say goodbye to my friend before he abandoned me and my lab for two weeks. You know, I’ll try not to erase your results from the computer...” Mark scrunches his nose, knowing this is pure blackmailing (so typical of Baekhyun).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring me a souvenir from Iceland, would you?” Mark rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You made Taeyong and Johnny bring you here just to ask for a souvenir?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had to make sure the message was delivered” Chanyeol apologizes to Mark silently, but he shakes his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s ok.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Now go or you’ll lose your flight”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei is seriously thankful his husband chose the hotel with crystal ceilings. He can’t stop thinking about that when Mark gets out from the bathroom wearing one of Yukhei’s shirts and a pair of shorts, ready to sleep. It is like any other holiday they have had, but at the same time it isn’t. When Mark notices Yukhei is staring at him, he can’t help but blush. Yukhei also blushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you feel like it is the first time we sleep together?” Yukhei asks in a soft voice and Mark nods as he finds a comfortable position on the bed, where Yukhei is already resting, only wearing a loose pair of old sweatpants and no shirt, leaving his tattoo perfectly exposed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which is ridiculous, since we slept together just yesterday” Yukhei hums. “I think it is because of the rings” he tries to reason but Yukhei only cocks an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean our wedding rings?” Yukhei says as he stares at the simple pink gold band (Yukhei favorite’s color is pink and Ten made sure his friend had his wedding ring in his favorite color, without considering Mark thinks it is a girly color, but Ten just knows he would do anything for Yukhei, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>meh).</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark nods. “What do they have to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Another variable to our equation” Yukhei now frowns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, maybe it’s a constant, considering we’ll be married for the rest of our lives. If you are seriously considering our romantic life as an equation, you should at least consider it right” Mark hums as he leans his head on Yukhei’s shoulder, watching at the starry night across the crystal ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind, you know? </span>
  <em>
    <span>The feeling.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I like it, it’s like the first time we held hands, or like our first kiss” Yukhei blushes remembering the memories. “It’s nice. I hope it is a constant, as you said” Yukhei feels warm spreading across his cheeks as he shifts closer to Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They remain silent for a while, just watching the stars. Yukhei tries to identify their zodiac sign constellations, but probably just Scorpio will be visible, not that he knows where to find it or how it looks like, to begin with. The only constellation he knows is Orion (and that’s only for Orion’s belt).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know there’s a model that explains the distribution of galaxies in the universe?” Yukhei sighs, knowing it was too good to be true. As he never stops talking about chemistry and biology, Mark never stops talking about patterns and models. As a pure mathematician, there’s always a model that explains everything. From the distribution of leaves in a rose to the rotation of DNA, and now there are models for stars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mark...” he warns his husband, with an implicit plea to stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s true. I just read an article that describes the fractality of the distribution at small distances as well as the violation of scaling at large distances...” Yukhei stops paying attention after Mark mentions fractality, he doesn’t even know what that means, but if his husband is happy discussing mathematical models to himself with Yukhei listening to him, that’s perfectly fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei starts to fall asleep with Mark rambling about distances and structural functions. He sounds so happy, pointing at random stars in the sky trying to make Yukhei understand, but Yukhei just nods, not following Mark’s train of thought. He yawns and pulls Mark to be his little spoon while he keeps talking. Yukhei finally gives up, kissing the top of his messy hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He guesses sex as a married couple (and the wonderful vibrator Baekhyun gifted them) will have to wait for another night.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I got a new tablet and I'm testing it (I'm uploading my chapter from it). As part of my expensive hobby (drawing, like Mark), I want to start trying digital art. I don't know how to do it, but I think I'll watch tutorials on youtube or something.</p><p>I'm sleepy, it's been a long week, so I hope you enjoy this chapter ;)</p><p>Thank you so much for your support, it means a lot to me. Let's read us soon, shall we? ❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. [ l i c o r i c e ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Souvenirs from Iceland.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Your cat eats better than me” Ten says when he hands Aquarelle to Yukhei. He smiles, probably proudly, and his friend rolls his eyes “How it went?” After two weeks in Iceland with his husband, Yukhei can say he’s regretful to have to come back to their daily lives and go back to work. The weather was amazing, not too cold and not too warm, and the amount of sunlight was just perfect to do enough stuff to properly get to know Iceland (at least the most iconic parts). “How is sex as a married couple?” between them there are no secrets, but Yukhei only smiles widely “That good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should have seen it, Mark became </span>
  <em>
    <span>wild”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can imagine... But I rather don’t see that. I already condemned my soul enough, thanks” Yukhei laughs and it is when Mark decides to appear. “Did you guys bring me a souvenir?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear you’re worse than Baekhyun” Aquarelle removes in Yukhei’s arms, asking to be freed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in, I’m sure you have some spare time to tell us all the juicy details, Mr. Lee-Wong~” Mark rolls his eyes again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you our last names remained the same” Ten totally ignores Mark as he gets into his kitchen to prepare some snacks and some tea.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yukhei insisted on going to Reynisfjara and at first I wasn’t sure but we went and it was amazing. Dude, it’s a beach with black sand! I don’t even know how he knew about the place, but it was awesome, even when it was too cold to swim there, we could walk barefoot in the black sand-” Mark’s sandwich remains untouched as he speaks and speaks and speaks, faithful to his own self. Yukhei sips the tea Ten prepared, and he’s absolutely thankful that the only tea he has in his home is the one his family brings him from Thailand, because honestly American tea doesn’t taste that good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ten (whose real name isn’t Ten but Chittaphon, but since no one really knows how to pronounce it correctly, he went with that nickname since college) feeds Aquarelle pieces of ham while she curls her tail over his lap. He absentmindedly strokes her from time to time as he listens to Mark talking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By his side is Yuta, listening to the stories while he does his physiotherapy exercises. Ten looks from time to time to him, probably making sure he's doing his exercises properly. The tea he placed for him over the table is still steaming, but intact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear it is as black as charcoal. I brought Baekhyun some sand as a souvenir, it matches his soul” Ten laughs and Yukhei and Yuta chuckle. It seems like he's well aware of Baekhyun's antiques (maybe because he and Ten talk frequently). “And a sweater, because he won’t let me live if I only hand him a vial of black sand. Oh, we brought one for you too. ‘Hei? Can you bring them?” Yukhei pouts because he doesn’t want to leave Ten’s living room, but Mark’s severe gaze convinces him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t drink my tea” he warns them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t dream of that” Ten answers and Yukhei sighs, giving up. He leaves the flat to go to their car and take out the bag with Ten’s and Yuta's souvenirs, consisting of more black sand, sweaters and lakkris, which are chocolates with licorice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the flat, Ten and Yuta keep listening to Mark as Yuta, who has finished his exercises, now pets Aquarelle. The cat seems to love their temporal owners, and when Mark wants to pet her, she hisses at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Girl, what the fuck? I’m your dad, don’t you like me anymore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She loves us because we feed her better than you do” Ten explains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, because she doesn’t wake you up at five in the morning purring to get into the blankets-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t mind, you know that ‘Relle? She's a perfect therapy cat” Mark takes Aquarelle from Yuta’s lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me back my cat, you monsters” Ten laughs when Aquarelle scratches Mark to leave and hide under the small table in the middle of the living room. “You can keep her, I don’t want her anymore”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did I miss?” Yukhei asks as soon as he enters the room again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m giving Aquarelle for adoption. I think she’ll be better off without me” Yukhei frowns and he looks at Ten and Yuta, questioning about his husband’s sanity, but his friend only shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, babe” Yukhei gives Ten his bag “Here, this is for you” Ten’s eyes sparkle. "And for you" he offers another bag to Yuta.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh guys, you shouldn’t really- Oh, a sweater! This is really warm, I’m sure it would be awesome for Toronto’s autumn...” he smiles when he feels the vial of black sand and then he takes out the bag of chocolates “What are those? Have you tried them? Are they good?” Yuta tries not to look offended when he can't find anything additional to the sand and the sweater.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest-” Yukhei starts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We ate too much when we were in Iceland, but we didn’t try those. The lady of the store told us Icelanders loved them, and that they were really good. They are filled with licorice, but we-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s try them now, then. I bet they trigger some nice memories of your honeymoon, hmm?” Ten opens the bag almost reverently, but still quickly. The bag has the Icelandic flag in the form of Iceland and it’s filled with around fifty small balls of chocolate, that are white. “Here, one for each one of us”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ten, Yuta and the couple bite the chocolate to reach the licorice center. Yukhei and Yuta frown as they chew, Mark stops chewing to swallow it whole and Ten spits it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck is this, Wong? It tastes like medicine” he coughs, followed by Mark. Yuta cleans his tongue with a napkin and then he rushes a sip of hot tea. Yukhei swallows the rest of the chocolate with some tea too. “God, how can someone enjoy this? Are you sure these are not spoiled?” Ten checks the date on the bag and he frowns “This is awful”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agreed” Mark says, still trying to get rid of the bad flavor from his tongue. “We can change your souvenir for something else-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep them, you can give them to your niece when your sister visits you. It can be a lesson for that time she ate the sakura candies I sent you-” Ten and Yuta have the same gleeful look Ten had when he told Baekhyun to pet the guinea pig he knew would bite him. Mark is certainly a bit scared, but Yukhei (used to his evil friends) just takes another sandwich, and as he bites it, he feeds another piece of ham to Aquarelle.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>When I was in Amsterdam, I bought my parents some licorice candies. The lady told me they were delicious. Perhaps it is that we aren't used to the flavor but they tasted terrible, they were too strong, and the flavor was a mix between too sweet and too bitter, from that I learned that everytime I bought a food souvenir, I have to try it first.</p><p>Thank you everyone for reading! I really hope you're enjoying their domestic life &lt;3<br/>The next chapters will be about them, fluffy as they have been in every chapter, with the addition of calling themselves 'husband'.</p><p>As always, thank you for your support! Let's read us soon, shall we?<br/>Until then, take care ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. [ o t h e r s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mark after their wedding. Yukhei after their wedding.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After returning from Iceland as a married couple, life for Yukhei and Mark remained the same (it’s not as if they hadn't lived as husbands already).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, some things changed, like the gold band around Mark’s ring finger that wasn’t there before, which brought additional attention to his already noticeable persona (being friends with Taeyong, who changes hair color like he changes underwear, and Ten, an evil postdoctoral maniac that is friends with a soccer star, and Baekhun, the less subtle bastard Mark had the disgrace to meet).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It also changed the way Yukhei talks about Mark. While before he was hesitant in calling something remotely cheesy, other than baby (and only when they were alone), now it is as if Yukhei showered in confident, calling him ‘love’, ‘sweetheart’, ‘gorgeous’ and any other name his mind could come with, not minding that he was picking Mark from the campus or buying latte in the Starbucks (on just had to see the face on the worker that took his order when Yukhei told him it was under the name of ‘Watermelon prince’).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark doesn’t pay much attention to this, but he knows everyone is talking about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His students are awfully nosy, and he knew that by the time he returned from his honeymoon, almost everyone would know at least some part of the whole thing. If well, it was true that Baekhyun was in charge of spreading the news about their wedding, Ten contributed too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he returned to the university after his holidays, Taeyong updated him that the biologist has been talking about how their wedding was, and sharing pictures of him on his important day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, that doesn’t change that when he received the first question in regard to his new married life, he was taken by surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor Lee, is your husband older than you?” Mark stops writing equations on the whiteboard for a second, to give a severe glare to this girl (Andrea, that’s her name) before he sighs in resignation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only by a few months” he concedes, and suddenly, Algebra becomes 20 questions about Mark and Yukhei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it the guy who always came to pick you? The tall guy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is his name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He isn’t from here, right?” Mark wants to stop this madness, he wants to say that it’s none of his business, but he knows they may ask Ten later, and he will spill the beans. He just didn’t think that also his male students were going to be interested in his private life too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, he is. His name is Yukhei Wong. He’s from Hong Kong. And before you start, no. I didn’t take his last name, nor he took mine. And yes, I can speak a bit of Cantonese and Mandarin. Now, can we make this about algebra again?” he knows he’s blushing, but he tries to ignore it, as he hopes his students do. When they remain silent, with knowing smiles, Mark proceeds “Very well, where were we?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei usually uses the time from his work to the campus (around half an hour) to connect his phone to the car’s speakers and call his best friend and update him about his daily life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most of the time, they just talk about their days. How Taemin (who gives classes on the university, but also works with Yukhei) did something stupid when they were eating lunch or how Ten caused Baekhyun a new heart attack by spilling an essay tube over his table. How Yukhei was needing new glasses because he can’t see properly anymore or how Ten was going to take Yuta to this their favorite cafeteria.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today, he is more than happy to talk with Ten about those juicy details from the honeymoon that he can’t tell when Mark is around (unless he wants to be hit with a frying pan or a cushion).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was pink?! Holy fuck” Ten laughs laudly and his voice resounds inside the black Honda Civic, Yukhei laughs too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of fucking course it was pink, what do you think? That Baekhyun wouldn’t try to piss off Mark in any possible way? He probably thought Mark was against the idea of using a pink vibrator, what a shame he got his concepts all wrong because Mark didn’t use it in the way he thought”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He likes you in pink, right?” Yukhei hums, sure that Ten will understand “You look lovely in pink, I totally understand him”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I look lovely in every color, dude” Ten doesn’t deny that fact “Thanks, by the way. Mark really loved the pink choker, he said it brought out my eyes”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you it was the perfect choice~ You should ask my opinion more often”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More?” Ten laughs and Yukhei laughs too, as if they had said something hilarious (perhaps it is, but just for the two of them, a secret code they share in every single gesture, even when they can’t see each other) “By this time, you would already buy my underwear if I allowed you” they laugh again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know- Speaking of underwear...” Yukhei knows Ten wants to know about Baekhyun's gift.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awesome. It wasn’t that big to be honest, just above Mark’s size-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s still a pretty decent size-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My point is” Yukhei stops at a red light, waiting for the people to cross the street “Nothing that I haven’t tried before. The texture was soft, slightly silky, which was good because it entered smoothly with all that watermelon lube-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thought Mark would be the guy who appreciated it” Yukhei and Ten have this sort of conversation all the time. It’s absolutely rare that one can finish a sentence without the other interrupting, but it’s perfectly fine. They’ve been like this for years, long enough to know each other so well that it doesn’t matter anymore because they know what the other is going to say before he can think about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I liked it didn’t make too much noise, and that it only had three settings, though I kind of wanted one more... But that’s when Mark helped”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He got you all worked up, man! Remember me to send him a ‘congratulations’ card” they giggle before they laugh again, Yukhei almost misses the green light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asshole” he hears Yuta’s laugh at the other end of the line “Is Yuta there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was bored in the flat, so he came with me to my lab. He’s been watching tik toks while I take samples from my guinea pigs”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like fun”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should come soon, I’m sure Taemin won’t mind if we let you dissect the ovaries of the rats”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure. Mark already complains that I spend too much time talking to you. Satan knows how many times I have denied going to his lab, and not because I don’t like what he’s talking about-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because you love too much when he talks, go on”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But because of Baekhyun-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a lovely human being”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only you can consider him lovely, it’s worse than us together” Yukhei complains, parking the car in front of the campus “Anyway, gotta go now, I’m already here”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you come to say hi?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way, I have a date with my couch and Devil May Cry”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How cute, thinking Mark won’t drag you to his dentist appointment with him”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t complain-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Much?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Much” Yukhei concedes. He sees his husband coming out of the campus, completely ignoring the people staring at him. “Talk you soon”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, whatever” before any of them can finish their call, Yuta yells ‘that’s right, motherfucker’ and they laugh “See you soon, then”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let Yuta kill your experiments too soon”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wishes” with that, Ten positively finishes their call, just in time for Mark to get in their car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, my students are something else” Mark also lost all his shame after they got married. Now, he can’t care less about giving a soft peck to his husband right in front of the campus, where everyone can see them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck them,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark said the first time “I mean, I get my life is more appealing than studying solving equations, but still- They’re shameless”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei waits for Mark to finish rambling before he turns on the car again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me everything, sweetheart” he doesn’t even ask Mark if he wants him to take him to his appointment. Yukhei knows that Mark knows he knows (?) his schedule by heart.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've been dying. I was sick yesterday but I still had to work from home. I'm at work right now because I'm about to become the boss of my own small department and I've been solving issues that i have to get ready before monday. You can't even imagine the amount of work I have piling up in my desk right now. Still, I wanted to update this chapter to you, because I don't know when I'll be able to do it again (within the next two weeks, that's for sure), not only for my work but because I want to write some other stories that I haven't touched in weeks...<br/>Ah, Jesus.</p><p>Thank you everyone for your kudos and lovely comments!! Seriously, they make me so happy!!!!!<br/>So... If nothing else happens, let's read us soon, shall we?<br/>Until then, take care ❤❤❤</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. [ q u e u e ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grocery shopping.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Edit: I proofread this finally. Sorry for the mistakes, they're all fixed now (I hope).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark waits patiently for Yukhei to decide which flavor of jelly he is going to buy. Don’t misunderstand him, Mark loves to go shopping with his husband, it’s one of his favorites hobbies in the world. But damn if the man doesn’t take his time to choose whatever he’s going to buy, call it groceries, cleaning products, clothes or a cake for a party. He always takes <em> so much time. </em></p><p>“Do you like cherry flavor?” he asks Mark, holding two packages of jelly, cherry and grape. Mark barely raises his eyes from his phone, where he is playing Clash Royale.</p><p>“Dude, you have literally lived with me for years, how do you not know if I like or not cherry jelly? You know I don’t even eat that much jelly, it’s you and your obsession for desserts” Yukhei chuckles, before he gives a soft peck on Mark’s temple, who barely answers, trying not to lose his game.</p><p>“I know, I know, but it never hurts to ask, don’t you think?” Mark frowns while one of his towers is destroyed “I’m also being a good husband and taking your likings into consideration”</p><p>“You’re absurd” Mark counters, blushing, as he saves his phone in his pocket with a growl.</p><p>Mark doesn’t add anything else because he knows Yukhei is right. He always brags with Taeyong and Ten how Yukhei is always so considerate with him, always remembering important days (even when both of them barely remember their boyfriend anniversary anymore), making sure he never forgets anything (nor an appointment, nor his notes for work, nor his lunch), always surprising him with little details, especially new recipes.</p><p>“So?” Yukhei asks again, still holding the jelly.</p><p>“Man, I don’t know, pick whatever you want. You’re going to eat it” Yukhei doesn’t move from his spot nor he chooses a flavor “Ugh, whatever. Blueberry?” Mark offers, knowing Yukhei loves to eat food with exotic colors, especially blue. He knows that is not in the options Yukhei is giving him, but still he follows his heart, even for picking groceries. Yukhei smiles brightly.</p><p>“Oh, why have I forgotten about that one?” Yukhei leaves the packages in the rack and he grabs a blueberry one instead “Thank you, <em> Mork” </em>he gives Mark another peck, this time on his lips and Mark just smiles, already giving up.</p><p>“Well, what’s the next item on the list?” Yukhei unfolds the paper with the grocery list (Yukhei is a fan of technology, but Mark insists that writing is better, so he pleases him. Not to mention that he loves Mark’s calligraphy).</p><p>“That would be milk” Mark nods, pushing the cart through the aisle, already heading to their destination.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Mark shouldn’t be surprised this happened <em> again. </em> Every single time they go grocery-shopping, they end up bringing with them more stuff than intended, and spending more money than they planned. Yukhei always says they’re going to buy just a few items, some necessary stuff... But somehow, they always manage to buy a few bunch of products that weren’t even in their minds before stepping in the supermarket.</p><p>Mark sometimes feels bad, because Yukhei always insists on paying (sometimes, Mark can convince him to allow him to pay, though) and it’s always a lot of money.</p><p>As they wait for their turn to pay, Yukhei leans his chin on Mark’s shoulder, watching him play on his phone again, as he talks.</p><p>“Aquarelle needs her vaccines again, I think I’m going to take her the next weekend”</p><p>“Don’t you have to work the next weekend?” they’re talking in a soft voice, enough to not be listened by the others on the queue. “I can take her”</p><p>“You’ll need the car for that, babe”</p><p>“I can walk to the vet, ‘Hei. It’s only a few blocks away. ‘Relle loves to watch the cars, anyway” Mark pushes the car with his torso, not wanting to move from the comfortable position they are in. Yukhei walks with his chin still over Mark’s shoulder, staring at the phone screen.</p><p>“If it doesn’t matter to you, it’s ok”</p><p>“I would be a very bad person if I didn’t help you, man. I’m free the next weekend, I can even cook if you are not in the mood of cooking” Yukhei stares at Mark’s silhouette, trying to look directly into his eyes, but without moving it’s nearly impossible. “I’m not like your friends” Yukhei laughs in Mark’s ear who shrugs his shoulder, trying to protect it. “Fuck, do you want to leave me deaf, dude? Your voice is so loud”</p><p>They keep waiting on the queue and talking about things that need to be done. Neither Mark nor Yukhei (but how could Yukhei know in any case?) notice that some of Mark’s students are there. They’re wise enough to not interrupt the couple, but they still can’t take their eyes from them, thinking they match together.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I like to think that Mark and Yukhei are romantic even during domestic chores.<br/>I'm sorry this has taken my so long, but I already warned you that I was going to be busier than before.<br/>Just todayI could take some minutes off to finish this short chapter, that I sincerely hope you enjoyed.</p><p>Thank you everyone for your support and your patience!<br/>I hope to read you soon ;)<br/>Please, take care &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. [ x m a s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Problems with the Christmas tree</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark runs all over the house behind Aquarelle, yelling curses and empty threats of throwing her out. "Come here naughty cat! You're going to make yourself responsible for this! I swear to God, Aquarelle, if you don't come here before your dad arrives-" He doesn’t care that the neighbors think that he has already gone nuts (not that they don’t think that already, since he’s always talking to himself about numbers or theoretical mathematical models).</p><p>"Come on, Aquarelle! Come here, kitty, kitty, kitty~"</p><p>It’s been minutes now of Mark trying to get Aquarelle from under their bed. He has already tried calling her, giving her food and pushing her out, but nothing has worked so far (it might be because she knows Mark is mad at her). At this point, he’s just trying to use a broomstick to push her out.</p><p> </p><p>When Yukhei arrives, he finds their christmas tree, the one that they decorated with so much love, on the floor. A great part of the crystal decorations are broken, the pieces all scattered on the rug of the living room. The lights are still blinking in a repetitive pattern.</p><p>“Mark?” he raises his voice, worried that something may have happened to his husband.</p><p>“Get… Out… You- Damn cat!” Mark’s voice sounds muffled, but Yukhei identifies it comes from their bedroom.</p><p>“Mark? Is everything alright?” Yukhei wonders if he should help Mark with Aquarelle or with the christmas tree, or leave his stuff over the couch first. He waits patiently for Mark’s answer, but the only thing he hears are growling, hissing and the sound of the broomstick knocking under their wooden bed.</p><p>Yukhei figures out his husband can manage the situation all by himself as he places his backpack and his coat over the coach and then he proceeds to fix the tree. He first unplugs the lights from the electric current and then he places the artificial white tree on its base again. Yukhei carefully takes out the hangers of the broken ornaments and then he uses another broom to sweep the pieces of glass.</p><p>“Catch her, Yukhei!” Yukhei only has a few seconds to react, before Aquarelle appears in the living room again, threatening to make the tree fall again. Thankfully, Yukhei and his good reflexes catch her first, just in time for Mark to appear with a sick twisted smile.</p><p><em>“Mork?</em> What the hell?” Yukhei can't take his eyes from the broom in his hand "What are you doing? Leave her in peace" Yukhei is calm, contrary to Mark who is bordering an anxiety attack.</p><p>"Haven't you seen what she has done? The tree and the decorations- Everything is broken!"</p><p>"And?" Yukhei is still trying to block Mark "She's just a cat, she didn't do it on purpose... Did you, baby girl?" Aquarelle rubs herself against Yukhei's leg and the younger frowns.</p><p>"Are you seriously asking her?! Your daughter ,who can't speak because she's a cat, and not me?! Your beloved husband?!"</p><p>"Babe, you're overreacting- It's ok, I'm sure she didn't mean it. Everything can be replaced. I already cleaned, I don't know what is making you this upset"</p><p>"I spend hours decorating that tree, Yukhei. And she-" Mark stops himself to look at their carey cat, watching him scared behind Yukhei, her pupils completely dilated and she's ready to jump and hide herself under some chair or something. And he feels awful, because he doesn't want to scare her, he just wants her to learn she could have hurt herself "Dude, I don't know what else to tell her. I don't even think she understands me"</p><p>Yukhei sighs and picks Aquarelle from the floor. He takes her to the tree and guides her paw to a branch, but as soon as she starts to play with it, Yukhei scowls her.</p><p>"No!" he states, firmly. He repeats the process and he adds "No!" again. Mark's heart is breaking into pieces because Aquarelle looks genuinely regretful of even touching the tree.</p><p>Yukhei lets her go and Mark releases the breath he was holding.</p><p>"I'm sorry, 'Relle. But you pissed off dad, and you have to learn to behave or both of us will sleep on the street. And I'm pretty sure you don't want to be a homeless girl on Christmas Eve, right?" Mark thinks again that the neighbors will think they're absolutely insane because they talk to the cat as if she was a human child (or not, because he has heard his neighbor upstairs talking to her chihuahua exactly the same way).</p><p> </p><p>Yukhei and Mark walk to the kitchen, where Mark and Yukhei have some dishes already cooking (Yukhei left to buy some bread and eat it warm).</p><p>"I feel bad for her" Mark comments, still holding the broom. Yukhei cocks an eyebrow.</p><p>"Seriously, babe? You were trying to hit her with the broom" Mark has the decency to blush and look ashamed. "That's a little hypocrite of your part, Mork"</p><p>"It's her fault" Yukhei shakes his head. "She's just so-"</p><p>"She's a cat, darling" Yukhei places himself behind Mark, who is cutting apples for the salad. "Christmas' worst enemies" he kisses Mark's neck before he mumbles "Now she knows she doesn't have to mess with the tree"</p><p>"Until she forgets tomorrow"</p><p>"We'll remember her tomorrow too, then" Mark hums.</p><p>"Is the soup ready? My brother will arrive soon" Yukhei places another kiss before he lets go.</p><p>"I don't know, lemme check"</p><p> </p><p>So far, their first Christmas as husband and husband is not going that bad.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I should have been writing a story for my best friend and a story I've postponing for weeks because I have too much work. Even then, I still decided to use the time before the dinner of tonight to write a chapter of this story and leave the others for later.</p><p>I want to wish everyone for your support and all your love ❤️❤️</p><p>This is the last chapter of this year, let's read us next year, shall we? Hopefully, the next year will be better ;)<br/>Merry Christmas to everyone!! ⛄🎄</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. [ r e p l i c a ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>If Yukhei plays alone, Mark will ask for a compensation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark just realizes the flat is suspiciously quiet. It’s then when he notices that Yukhei left a while ago, but given that Mark was playing Candy Crush and not paying attention to his husband, he disappeared, offering as explanation that he was going to the bathroom.</p><p>And it’s been thirty minutes (and almost twenty levels), and Yukhei doesn’t come back.</p><p>For a second, Mark worries that something happened to his dumb companion<em>. Is he sick? Did he fall and Mark didn’t notice?</em> <em>Something happened to Aquarelle?</em> The flat is too quiet, making him curious and eager to investigate what happened.</p><p>He stops his game and saves his phone in the pocket of his sweatpants (he wants to have it ready in case something happened and he has to call the emergency system). He walks barefoot, not caring about the wise advice his mother told him once about being ready (and wearing at least sandals) for tending any situation.</p><p>“Yukhei?!” Mark calls him, with no answer. “Aquarelle?!” he calls the cat too, waiting to hear her meow or some noise indicating to him they’re somewhere. <em> Nothing. </em> “Where can they be?” his anxiousness increases, and he takes his hand to his pocket, ready to take out his phone and call the police and report his missing husband. “Damn, Yukhei... It hasn’t even been a year of marriage and you’re already causing troubles”</p><p>Mark gets in the kitchen, but still nothing. However, it’s in the kitchen where he hears some noises coming from the living room.</p><p>Mark tiptoes into the room, fearing that he would find an awful sight of Yukhei's guts all over the carpet and Aquarelle being tortured by an imaginary attacker, trying to steal them or just murdering his husband for pleasure.</p><p>"God damnit, Yukhei! You're <em> an asshole!" </em>Mark yells, completely angry. Yukhei has the decency to pause the video game and stare at Mark, while Nero is frozen on the screen at mid-combo. "You selfish bastard-"</p><p><em> "Mork- </em>I can explain-"</p><p>"Don't 'Mork' me, you- <em>Traitor!"</em> Aquarelle just watches the exchange from his safe position at one of the couches. She curls her tail, happily, enjoying to see that this outburst of Mark's anger isn't directed towards her (it's more fun to watch than running away to save your life).</p><p>"Sweetheart, I promise-" Yukhei tries to explain, but Mark is doing this monumental tantrum, stamping his feet on the floor and yelling (a tiny, tiny part of his brain tells him that his neighbors are going to be at their door after the yelling is done) "Mark, babe- Calm down"</p><p>"Don't ask me to calm down, you idiot! You were playing without me! You're a <em>betrayer!"</em></p><p>"But babe, you were playing too, I didn't want to bother you" Yukhei covers his head with his arms because Mark starts hitting him with a pillow, still yelling at him.</p><p>"You could have at least the decency to tell me you were going to be playing! I was worried for you, you dumbass!" Yukhei recognizes Mark may have a point about that. He could have told the mathematician, it didn't cost him anything. "I was about to call the police department and I was starting to freak out about having to report your death to your family" Yukhei starts laughing, which is a terrible idea but he can't help it. It's just... <em>Mark can be so dramatic at times.</em></p><p>Somehow, he manages to take the pillow from Mark's hand and throw it out of Mark's reach (and hitting Aquarelle with it).</p><p><em> "Mork... </em>" the Canadian doesn't speak at all, he just gives him a glare "Mark. I'm sorry, I didn't want to worry you, I just thought you were going to follow me here, but you didn't come so I thought you were busy"</p><p>"I was playing Candy Crush" Mark pouts and Yukhei offers him a smile. He leaves the pink controller over the couch, ignoring the wave of demons attacking his character on the screen, paused.</p><p>"So I thought you didn't want to play Devil-"</p><p>"Are you for real?!" Mark raises his voice again "I'm always up for playing Devil May Cry! Nero is fucking hot, I love that kid" Yukhei rolls his eyes, trying not to feel jealous because of a fictional character.</p><p>"My bad, <em> Mork. </em>Sorry, it won't happen again" Yukhei opens his arms, waiting for Mark to give him a hug, but the younger doesn't move "Won't you give me a hug?" Yukhei pouts this time.</p><p>"You don't deserve it" </p><p><em> "Mork!" </em>he whines "Alright, alright... What if I promise to ask Jongin to help you with the hypothesis testing of your thesis? You know he's really good with statistics"</p><p>"Wouldn't it be like cheating?" not that Mark cares, though (cheating isn't that bad if it helps to get his degree earlier).</p><p>"Do we have a deal?"</p><p>Mark takes Yukhei's pink controller and unpauses the game, finishing the combo with a flashing Sinking Sick Style. He grins and gives the controller back to Yukhei, taking a seat by his side.</p><p>"I would like to have a replica of the Red Queen very much, 'Hei" Yukhei sighs in defeat.</p><p>"Plastic or metallic?" he asks as he takes his previous seat. Mark just gives him a crocodile smile (showing his teeth without really trying to smile) and Yukhei knows he wants a metal one (and if possible, with the motorbike engine and working).</p><p>To think that for Mark he will do everything, including buying him stuff of his fictional love. He growls as he turns his head back to the screen and destroy some trees.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey! How have you been? How's this new year treating you so far?<br/>I've been in lockdown, since my flatmate (who is a doctor) tested positive for covid and now we're all waiting for the results of the tests. So far, we don't have symptoms, but one can't never be sure, right?<br/>I've been using that time to catch up with all my unfinished works (and playing videogames and watching One Piece), so I'm sorry if it took me a while to write such a short chapter, that I still hope you enjoyed~</p><p>Thank you everyone, there are more scenes from these two coming, so just bare with me for a tiny bit. Thank you for your support and patience, I'm sincerely hoping you like it.</p><p>Well... Until the next chapter, let's try to stay safe and healthy, alright? Please take care and wash your hands ❤️<br/>Read us soon ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. [ i m p o r t a n t ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>About Mark and Yukhei's neighbor.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark and Yukhei love their apartment on the fourth floor. The view is incredible, the neighborhood is quiet and it is close to everywhere. The thing they love the most about that apartment is that it won’t be their permanent residence.</p><p>They’re paying rent as they pay their own house, not too far from there (because Mark really doesn’t want to travel long distances to go to the university and Yukhei really doesn’t care about it). But Mark doesn’t want to move out just yet, until their new furniture is ready. His husband is fine with it, he likes the apartment they're in, even though it is expensive.</p><p> </p><p>Mark is the one that spends more time in the apartment, not counting Aquarelle. So he has more things to complain about. Like the neighbors, especially the one in front of them. A man in his forties, that has a lesbian daughter and he always seems to be in a bad mood.</p><p>It's not that Mark dislikes him because he's in a bad mood, or that he, for some unknown reason, seems to hate Aquarelle. It's the fact that he's always talking on the phone in the middle of the hallway, yelling about the price of building materials in the most awful Mandarin ever.</p><p>And no, Mark doesn't feel bad for criticizing it at all. If the man wants to brag about knowing it, the least he could do is speaking it decently (not that Mark's Chinese is perfect by any means).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Yukhei leaves the door open when he takes out the garbage to the containers that Sunday and Mark stays outside, watching that their hyperactive cat doesn't escape. And there he is, mister Yes-I-can-suck in all his weekend glory, urging his daughter to bring him the bags with garbage to take them to the container too.</p><p>Mark has to refrain from laughing, but a smile is already spreading over his face.</p><p>Yukhei comes back, also smiling. Mr. Yes-I-can-suck is nowhere to be found.</p><p>"Did you see it too?" Mark asks Yukhei, who nods. Mark's smile grows wider "Come in, come in. I want to spill tea in the comfort of our flat"</p><p>Yukhei gets in the flat and he beelines right to the kitchen, to wash his hands. Mark follows him, laughing scandalously.</p><p>"Oh my God, his apron!" Mark adds between his laughing, clapping his hands in delight. Yukhei laughs too (a bit too loudly for his own liking, but it's ok, Mark says he loves his laugh), drying his hands.</p><p>"All his efforts to appear like a manly businessman had vanished"</p><p>"Did you see the cute little chickens on it?! God, what a day to be alive!" Mark keeps laughing and clapping, merrily.</p><p>"Don't forget the pink crocs, the cherry of the cake" Yukhei knows he shouldn't fuel Mark's laugh attack, but it's endearing seeing him so happy. Mark laughs so much he's crying, having to take off his glasses to keep laughing in peace. "Also, did you know his name is Cesar?"</p><p>Mark stops to look at Yukhei, trying to follow his train of thought.</p><p>"Who? Mr. Yes-I-can-suck?" Yukhei nods.</p><p>"I heard the lady at the market calling him like that"</p><p>"Wouldn't have guessed"</p><p>Mr. Yes-I-can-suck lives alone with his daughter. It seems that he works from home, offering technical support in buildings. He doesn't like when her daughter listens about his work, so instead he decides to take 'important calls' outside his flat, preferring that half of the neighbors in the building hear the conversation instead.</p><p>It's not the fact that he's probably discussing confidential information that bothers/amuses Mark. It's the fact that at least half of his calls are in an almost yelled bad pronounced Chinese. Mark knows Chinese and he's not bragging it.</p><p>The other fact that bothers Mark is when he's yelling at his daughter to not leave the flat alone, or wearing a short skirt, or late at night. Or worse, when the girlfriend of said daughter comes to visit her.</p><p>Both Yukhei and Mark have a feeling for the sixteen years old girl, because she's like them (but unlike them, his father doesn't allow her to be herself). So, from time to time, when they know Paola's (that's the name of the daughter) girlfriend is at the flat, they try to intercept his father to give the lovebirds more time to be together.</p><p>Paola usually leaves them small 'thank you' post-its at their door, with watermelon lollipops (Mark's favorites) in exchange.</p><p>"I'll never see him the same again"</p><p>"How? Like the living portrait of a Mexican macho?" Mark scrunches his nose, but then the laugh starts again.</p><p>"Poor Paola" Yukhei complains and Mark agrees.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! I'm sorry I'm updating this just now, but I also have to work in other three stories at the time and I don't want to abandon any of them... Hope you understand.</p><p>This is a chapter that came from my own neighbor. Mr. Yes I can suck is completely real and let me tell you is an annoying asshole, yelling at any hour and taking calls outside his house~ but unlike the one from the story, he talks in English (we speak Spanish here LOL).<br/>I wanted to share that episode where my 'lovely' neighbor came out of his house in a yellow apron, with pink crocs and a broom, and it was hilarious.<br/>If you're interested, I'll tell you why the neighbor is called 'mr. Yes I can suck'.</p><p>Hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter as I enjoyed it. Thank you so much for reading!!<br/>Let's read us soon, but until then, stay safe ♥️♥️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. [ s p o o n ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A lazy morning after Mark recovers from a nasty infection.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark has been sick for almost two weeks and during that time he didn't have time to spoil Yukhei who doesn't really care (Mark was trying not to die, so he's fine) but has been feeling slightly on the edge lately. Taking care of his husband and their cat and doing chores and going to work is too much for him.</p><p>The Saturday morning Mark feels good enough, he covers Yukhei's back with his chest as he lazily starts to caress him under the shirt he sleeps with. Yukhei, who's still half asleep just lets him.</p><p>As the minutes pass by, Mark starts to stroke his tattoo and then his nipples to finally rest his hand on Yukhei's waistband of his shorts, just rubbing his belly.</p><p>Yukhei allows him to because usually Mark is a lazy ass who loves Yukhei massaging him. But the elder also loves when his husband shows him love this way.</p><p>"Aren't you feeling sick anymore, <em>Mork?"</em> he asks with a hoarse voice, but Mark just kisses the point between his neck and his shoulder.</p><p>"Shhhh" Yukhei feels a shiver running down his spine every time Mark tells him orders like this, even simple commands. "I haven't been able to properly show you how much I love you, baby. Just enjoy" and enjoy does Yukhei, humming happily when Mark's cold fingertips idly strokes all his torso, as he kisses his shoulder over his shirt "Mind if I take off your shirt?"</p><p>"It's cold"</p><p>"I won't let you freeze"</p><p>"Wouldn't it be the other way around?" Yukhei complains slightly, but it's not as if he really cares. It's ok to share his body warmth with his always cold husband. "Ok, <em>Mork.</em> Take it off"</p><p>Yukhei helps Mark to remove both of their shirts and when he presses his back against Mark's chest again, he realizes he is surprisingly warm. He closes his eyes as the smaller starts with his ministrations again, tracing the lines of his back tattoo in silence.</p><p>Yukhei sighs when Mark stops toying with his dragon tattoo to guide his hand to his belly again. It isn't as cold as it first was, so it's ok if he also traces his abs and his hip bones as he keeps kissing everything within his reach, neck, nape, shoulders, back...</p><p>Mark's small hands are expert in giving Yukhei an endless string of shivers, which is just perfect to relax him after those two weeks in which Yukhei was worried as fuck Mark would need to go to the hospital at the middle of the night (Yukhei is just dramatic, but it's true Mark wasn't feeling very well).</p><p>"Thank you for taking care of me, 'Hei. Now, let me care of you too" the taller hums as an answer and Mark smiles against his nape.</p><p>Yukhei starts to fall asleep again, finally relaxed. He won't be a widower soon and he can allow himself to sleep soundly. Mark's kisses and his hoarse deep voice are lulling him with whatever he's telling him (probably the plans for the day or the supermarket list).</p><p>It's all amazingly domestic and quiet. Aquarelle is also asleep relaxed, thankfully (having her on the top of his chest, also worried that Mark would stop breathing at some point wasn't nice at all).</p><p>Mark keeps talking, faithful to himself, and Yukhei can't stop thinking that this was one of the reasons he fell in love with him in the first place, his ability to soothe when talking about random facts or whatever.</p><p>He slips out of his trance when his stomach growls and Mark chuckles.</p><p>"Sorry, I'm hungry" Yukhei says, trying to turn around to face the younger, but Mark doesn't let him.</p><p>"I can see that" he can hear the smile in Mark's voice "Want some breakfast?"</p><p>"Are you offering to cook?" Yukhei says half amused, half hoping. Mark doesn't cook oftenly.</p><p>"If you wish... But I was thinking about taking you somewhere"</p><p>"I don't want to leave the house, it's cold" Mark kisses his shoulder again as he nods.</p><p>"I know, I know. Well then, do you mind if I abandon you for a while?" Yukhei nods and turns around this time, hugging Mark. His stomach growls again and Mark frowns "But you're hungry"</p><p>"Stay with me a while more, I'll help you cooking later" Mark opens his eyes widely before he smiles.</p><p>"Oh... Okay, 'Hei" Aquarelle jumps in the middle of them, also wanting to share the moment with her owners and Mark oofs when she jumps over his stomach. "'Relle!" Yukhei chuckles.</p><p>"She was worried about you, leave her" Mark rolls his eyes, but doesn't move from Yukhei and Aquarelle's trap.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This week has been awful. End of the month are  always the worst days since there are a lot of things to be done... I'm sorry it took me so long to update :(<br/>But let me tell you, I'm already writing the next chapters, so they should be ready soon ;)<br/>Thank you so much to everyone for the support and the patience, I hope you're all safe and healthy ❤️<br/>Let's read us soon, shall we? ❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. [ b i t e ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Preparations for Valentine's day.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What do you have on your lip?” Jongin asks during their lunch time, frowning.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Yukhei knows what his coworker, and friend, is talking about, but he doesn’t really want to answer. Jongin rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you have something like a scratch, over your upper lip... Doesn’t it hurt?” it itches, but it doesn’t hurt. But again, he doesn’t want to acknowledge it just yet, not that he's ashamed or anything.</p>
<p>“Don’t know, man” Jongin scrunches his nose and he comes closer to Yukhei, who looks sideways to avoid looking at Jongin. “What?”</p>
<p>“It looks painful, are you sure it doesn’t hurt?” why is he so worried about him? Yukhei starts to blush as he shakes his head.</p>
<p>“It’s fine, Nini. It was probably Aquarelle, you know she likes to jump over us at night…” Jongin isn’t satisfied with the explanation, but he doesn’t pressure the issue further. “It’s ok if you don’t believe me” Yukhei offers and Jongin frowns.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Are you home, 'Hei?" it was rather late for Mark to arrive at home, so Yukhei supposed he got to stay at the lab, either grading tests (was it finals time and he wasn't aware?) or running tests "I gotta stay helping Taeyong with some grades, he forgot that he was supposed to give 'em tomorrow"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Yukhei left the kitchen, wiping his hands with a towel. He didn't say anything at all about Mark leaving his dirty dishes from the breakfast since more often than not his head was busy with his scheduled day and the ways he would torture... ehm, what he would teach his <strike>dumb</strike> students.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Did you come here all by yourself, walking?" Yukhei tried not to sound worried, but for the chuckle Mark emitted he knew he failed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Taeyong and Johnny brought me here. Which remembers me... Johnny told me to give you this, he said it was hard to find" Mark frowned then "What could you possibly ask from a doctor that works all day?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"A human heart" Yukhei answered seriously and Mark almost shoved the bag on his chest, grossed out. "Just kidding, dude. There's a French cake store close the hospital and I haven't been able to find almond flour"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Man!" Yukhei laughed "Don't joke like that, dude!" Yukhei kept laughing but he bent down to kiss his husband on the lips, as an apology "I got war flashbacks just now" Mark shook his shoulders to get rid of the cold sensation "I remembered why I didn't like to hang out with you and Ten"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Why?" Yukhei looked genuinely confused "I thought you were always busy in the library and that's why you didn't hang out with us..."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Did I say that aloud?" Mark was nervous.</em>
</p>
<p><em>"Were you avoiding us, </em>Mork?<em> You hurt me" Yukhei turned around, hiding his giggles. He knew Mark would feel bad and he would try to kiss it better. Yukhei just loved whenever Mark started a kiss. "Oww" Yukhei complained against his husband's lips.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>And as predicted, Mark pulled him from his arm to turn him around and he stamped his lips over Yukhei's, in the most carefree and rough kiss ever. Mark's teeth collided with Yukhei's upper lip (how? It's a mystery a, since Mark isn't that tall)</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You were scary" Mark slapped Yukhei's shoulder, who protested again, touching his lip to find out if there was blood "Always talking about scary facts of the human body. How it was easy to poison everyone without it appearing on autopsy, ways to immobilize someone, and not the nice ways... Now I see why you like to talk to Johnny so much"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"We don't understand a single thing when you start talking about theorems and equations and numbers. Let a man have his fun, dude" Mark rolled his eyes.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You're something else. Does Yuta not tell you how weird you sounded when you're talking about blood poisoning?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"He's the one who asked us in the first place..."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You and your friends are crazy" Mark lamented.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"But still, you married me. Even better, you proposed to me" Yukhei showed a big flashy smile and Mark tried to look angry, but the smile was contagious.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"If you gonna be like this, gimme back my grandpa's ring"</em>
</p>
<p><em>"Nope. You gave it to me, now it's mine" Yukhei laughed a bit more until the smell of something burning came to his nose</em> "Oh God, I forgot about the cake" <em>with Mark's limited knowledge of Cantonese, he barely understood what his husband mumbled.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>"Cake?"</em>
</p>
<p>"Fuck" <em>Yukhei paled and Mark thought it was suspicious. "Get out of the kitchen, Mork. Let me clean this mess"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>"But I can totally help, dude"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Out, Mark Lee!" Mark thought there was something going on, but if that was so important to Yukhei, he could leave him in peace while he changed his clothes. Still, Mark didn't like his beautiful baby sub Yukhei yelling at him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Geez, I'm leaving now. Know that this will cost you, baby" Mark was using his dom voice, but Yukhei was too busy asking him to leave, he probably didn't have time to notice and react properly "You've got ten minutes, Yukhei. I want to dinner with my husband"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After a while inspecting Yukhei, Jongin talks again.</p>
<p>"It doesn't look like a scratch, Yukhei. It looks more like a bruise" Yukhei sighs.</p>
<p>"Really?" Jongin hums "Who knows then, man? Don't worry, it just itches" he shrugs his shoulders.</p>
<p>"Did you finish the cake for Mark? Did he like it?"</p>
<p>"I'm leaving early today to decorate it. I already asked for permission"</p>
<p>"Are you going to leave me alone to finish the program for the electroluminescent thingy?" Yukhei wants to laugh at the pout of his friend "On Valentine's Day? Come on man, I also have someone to come back to today" he sounds sad. If Yukhei leaves him alone with the programming, it also means he would have to leave late.</p>
<p>"The boss said that we all could leave early today and finish this on Monday, Nini. I'm sure your man will be happy to have you early today at home" Jongin has never really mentioned who his partner is, but from time to time, he wears a different lotion, so Yukhei is just guessing.</p>
<p>"I guess he will" Yukhei smiles at the acknowledgement, but he doesn't ask for further details. Jongin has just entered into the company so he's still very reserved. Just recently he found out Yukhei was married to a Canadian man, he always assumed it was a woman. "What would you do with your husband?"</p>
<p>"Nothing fancy, I'm just cooking him dinner and his favorite cake"</p>
<p>"No funny stuff?" he asks curious, cocking an eyebrow. Yukhei just smiles suspiciously.</p>
<p>"Well, that's up to him" Yukhei knows that Jongin has the same wrong idea as Baekhyun about them, but that's fine.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I want to finish this chapter with a few things.<br/>First of all, I've got this idea a few days ago for a post I saw on twitter (there were a lot, tbh), about Yukhei having a scratch on his lip and he explaining it was his cat, and then followed by a picture of Mark with the title 'the cat'. It took me a while because my lack of inspiration, but it's finally here!<br/>Second of all, I want to apologize for taking so long to update. I've been finishing some projects at work and taking courses, so when I arrive home I'm absolutely tired and willing to do nothing. But no, K haven't abandoned it. I promise!<br/>Lastly, but not least important. I want to wish you all a happy Valentine! Enjoy your friends and loved ones, and eat lots of chocolates!<br/>Let's read us soon :) (hopefully, earlier than you expect)<br/>Thank you for reading ♥️♥️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. [ g e n d e r l e s s ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yukhei's car and <strike>his</strike> Mark's pink hoodie.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“In motors like this, ignition and combustion of the fuel occurs within the engine itself” Mark is holding a flashlight to Yukhei, who is currently checking some wires in the engine of their Honda Civic. “The engine partially converts the energy from the combustion to work” Mark doesn’t know too much about cars, just the basics. Enough for knowing if he has to take the car to a mechanic workshop or to an electric workshop if it fails.</p><p>Yukhei loves cars, and he took it as a personal challenge to learn how to repair theirs. Every month, Mark finds the rack with tools with some new acquisition (you can say that in this case, Yukhei is like any other stereotypical man), which in time he’ll learn to use while helping Yukhei.</p><p>“So... See this here?” Yukhei has his hands covered in motor oil, but he still manages to show parts of it to his bored husband, who has no choice but to listen to his endless rambling. “The engine has a fixed cylinder and a moving piston. The expanding combustion gases push the piston, which rotates the crankshaft”</p><p>Mark doesn’t mind that Yukhei has explained this exact same thing fourteen times already, he looks happy whenever he talks about it, it is almost like him explaining models of the universe, or how particularly hard it was to solve an equation for his thesis.</p><p>“So... where exactly do the spark plugs enter?” Mark knows it by heart. Yukhei has told him so a lot of times, but Yukhei smiles gleefully when Mark asks, even if they are basic questions and always the same ones.</p><p>It leads to another five minutes of rambling while Yukhei keeps unplugging and changing wires and then replugging them. Mark still holds the flashlight, pointing to the engine.</p><p>“Here, <em> Mork</em>” Yukhei pauses his dissertation on the difference between gasoline and diesel only to ask Mark to move the flashlight. “So, as I was telling you, the ignition from the gasoline is different from the diesel-” the mathematician can only imagine how Yukhei can remember how an engine works and he barely remembers how to use differential calculus.</p><p> </p><p>Yukhei remains silent as he comes closer to the radiator to smell it. Mark wonders what he could possibly be checking like that (for him, all the car smells exactly the same). He seems to find nothing, because he hums to himself and closes the bonnet.</p><p>“All done?” Mark asks his husband, already turning off the flashlight. Yukhei starts to pick up everything and saves it in the tool box.</p><p>“Yup, can you please take the tool box with you? I just need to clean my hands” his hands aren’t that dirty, just with a few spots of grease. Still, Yukhei doesn’t want to wait to reach their flat and wash his hands there. And Mark doesn’t want to walk all the way to their flat alone, he isn’t really comfortable with his neighbors watching him in sweatpants, an old hoodie, and a pair of sandals he stole from Yukhei.</p><p>“It’s okay, I can wait for you here, man” Mark tries to sound casual, but Yukhei sees right through his lie and then laughs.</p><p>“You don’t want to carry it, right?” Yukhei knows it’s not that, as he also knows it is uncomfortable for Mark to talk about his appearance. It’s ok if he changes the focus of the conversation to make his husband feel better while he cleans his hands with the special cream he has for these cases, and they can walk together back to their flat.</p><p>“It’s heavy” Mark shrugs his shoulders and Yukhei shakes his head, smiling. Mark looks more relaxed now. Even when Yukhei has assured him he looks lovely no matter what, but he still doesn’t want anyone to see him like that (especially because they already think he’s completely insane mumbling steps to solve an equation to himself).</p><p>“Weren’t you complaining just yesterday that you were a man completely capable of lifting heavy stuff? You even tried to hit me to prove your point”</p><p>“Well, I don’t always want to be a knight in shining armor… That’s your work, most of the time anyway” Mark smiles playfully now, and Yukhei laughs openly because his husband already forgot his self-consciousness. </p><p>“You’re just ridiculous, <em> Mork” </em>still, Yukhei, now with clean hands, picks up the tool box in one hand, and with the other he starts dragging Mark back to the apartment building “You know no one really cares that you’re wearing my old pink hoodie, right?” Mark can’t escape from the conversation since Yukhei isn’t letting him go, so he sighs.</p><p>“I know... It’s just- Pink is not a color for a man” Yukhei stops and Mark collides against his back.</p><p>“Are you telling me I’m not manly, doctor Lee?” Mark opens his eyes widely and starts to shake his head quickly.</p><p>“No, no. I mean- It looks good on you”</p><p>“Because I’m a girl?” Yukhei is chilled, he’s not actively trying to tease his husband, <em> or yes. Who knows? </em></p><p>“No, no- Listen, I just don’t-” Yukhei leaves the tool box on the floor and pulls Mark into a hug.</p><p><em> “Mork, </em> it’s fine. I know what you mean. Just remember that Taeyong wears girl sports clothes and Ten owns a pair of women's boots, and no one bitches them about it. Everything is unisex if you stop caring about it” Mark hides his face on Youkhei’s chest “Just look at yourself, babe. You don’t hide the fact that you married a man, but you’re worried people is going to judge you for wearing my pink hoodie~”</p><p>“Shut up...” Yukhei laughs again while he kisses the top of his head.</p><p>“Come on, pink princess. It’s time to head home now, it’s dark and Aquarelle must be hungry”</p><p>“If you just took the car to the workshop-”</p><p><em>“And let them dig their hands in my precious baby?”</em> Mark thinks Yukhei looks like a psycho from a movie “Never!”</p><p>“Whatever, man”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know I did promise to update sooner, but my phone died, and I usually write with it.<br/>I'm sorry this took me so long. I haven't even been able to update some of my projects, only the ones I got finished before the whole issue with my phone.<br/>Anyways...<br/>Thanks to everyone supporting this story. I'm glad to know you're enjoying the domestic scenes~</p><p>As I said before, thank you so much for reading~<br/>Please, take care and let's read us soon &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. [ a w a y ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Mark is basically like a lizard, who can't regulate his body temperature at all.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It doesn't matter that he has lived with Yukhei for more years than he can remember, Mark still can not help feeling guilty whenever he claims his personal space in their bed, as he is doing right now.</p><p>See, March is not particularly the coolest month of the year and Mark is not a person who can sleep comfortable in warm weather.</p><p>He always jokes with Yukhei (and everyone willing to listen) that he's like a lizard who needs his daily dose of sun or his limbs will be cold the whole day. But that also means that as soon as it starts to get hotter, Mark will get hotter too, basically like a thermal stone from Don't Starve.</p><p>Which leads us here, to Mark sleeping in a short and a hoodie (because he's also weird for sleeping: he can't tolerate having his legs warm, but he gets his arms cold), trying to subtly push a soundly asleep Yukhei's leg from his own leg.</p><p>"Yukhei, babe. Move a little" Mark moves his foot from the endless source of warmth his husband is, but he still leaves it leaned against the incredible hot skin, wondering why he has to suffer like this. "Dude, why are you so damn hot?" he mumbles tu himself, struggling also with the fact that Aquarelle is sleeping in between his husband's legs, which take a considerable amount of Mark's side of the bed.</p><p>He tries to push him again, feeling less considerate this time. Yukhei barely removes, uncomfortable, and groans before he starts snoring again.</p><p>"Oh, for the love of-" Mark pushes Yukhei's leg in earnest this time, positively moving him and his hot skin away from him. "Finally" Mark sighs relaxed, satisfied with the fact that he can finally feel the cold blanket sheet against his feet.</p><p>He closes his eyes trying to fall asleep for good this time. Thankfully, he's not like Yukhei that has to go ten times to the bathroom before finally going to sleep. What he's not so thankful for is that he still feels his legs hot. Considering that his torso is still cold, he wraps half of his body in the blanket Yukhei is not using like a burrito, and his legs are hanging off the bed.</p><p>The ASMR on his phone lullies him quick enough.</p><p> </p><p>Yukhei wakes up around two in the morning to go to the bathroom, again. When he looks at his husband, he's as far as physically possible from him, but Yukhei doesn't mind.</p><p>The first time they slept together during spring and Yukhei hugged Mark, it was a disaster, because <em>how he could know that if Mark's legs were too hot, he would get a fever?</em></p><p>He avoids waking Aquarelle up when he gets out of the bed. Mark hums in his sleep and Yukhei thinks that's the cutest thing ever, how he seeks for Yukhei when he's not there.</p><p> </p><p>Yukhei turns on the light in the bathroom and complains about his bad luck and having to leave the bed at this ungodly hour just so his bladder doesn't hurt.</p><p>He doesn't feel bad because he has mastered not waking up Mark during his night trips (even when Mark is a light sleeper). Still, that doesn't mean he likes to go to the bathroom every three or four hours at night. <em>Why can't he be like Mark?</em></p><p>When he finally comes back, Mark is still wrapped like a burrito, with his sockless feet still hanging from the bed, but with the only difference that Aquarelle is now against Mark's belly.</p><p>Yukhei gets into the bed again, covering himself with the blankets.</p><p>He doesn't resist the temptation to hug his husband. He knows Mark will move and push him away one more time. He knows Aquarelle will find her spot in between his legs again. He knows too Mark will steal the blankets and kick them out of the bed. <em>It's fine.</em></p><p>Yukhei hugs Mark and smells the spot behind his ear.</p><p>"I love you" Mark smiles in his sleep and mumbles an 'I love you back'. Yukhei smiles too.</p><p> </p><p>In the morning, Aquarelle is in between his legs again and Mark is facing the wall, tangled in all their blankets, with his legs uncovered. His hair is a mess, and his face is puffy. <em>So adorable.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My inspiration is back!<br/>Not because of my phone, of course, because I still don't have it back and that annoys me. But I figured out a way to write in my spare phone without my Drive.</p><p>Faithful to my own habit, I always write more than I originally intend. This time, I'm still writing ideas for this book when I planned only 13 chapters... Well.<br/>I hope you enjoyed this new chapter~<br/>Thank you so much to everyone for all your support!</p><p>Let's read us soon, shall we?<br/>❤️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. [ h o n g k o n g ]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Language barriers and no wifi.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark sighs for the tenth time that day, and it's not even eight in the morning. He does not have signal, nor Internet. And he's freezing, even when he is wrapped in his neon green mother-in-law's hoodie. It's raining and one can barely see two meters in front of them because of the fog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's still dark and Mark is sipping his second cup of green tea, because there's no coffee and he's fucking cold. The chickens run in between his feet and the Canadian feels mortified.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost 16 hours flying and two hours from the airport to Yukhei's house. Yukhei seems to be enjoying himself, though. So it's totally worth it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark thinks this truly shows his commitment with the cause, because he sure as hell wouldn’t travel all the way to Yukhei’s hometown for pleasure (though he has to admit it is indeed a nice place to relax), where it’s hard to communicate with anyone (forget about the language barrier for a second, the true issue here is that there’s not even wifi) and there isn’t even a store to find the most basic stuff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei comes back with his mom, chatting calmly about something Mark doesn’t quite understand, about someone he doesn’t really remember. He is bringing back a basket full of eggs (their breakfast) and more leaves of green tea. Mark sighs again, still trying to get himself warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They flash Mark a smile and he smiles too, following them inside quietly, trying not to let the chickens in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Are you cold?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mark nods slightly, not wanting to cause any trouble, but it’s hard when he can barely feel his limbs. Then Yukhei’s mom says something Mark doesn’t catch and Yukhei shrugs his shoulders, looking at Mark amused. Yukhei’s mom laughs and Mark feels lost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She says that she thought Canada was cold too”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t usually leave the house in this weather, Yukhei” Yukhei laughs too and he talks to his mother in Cantonese again, probably updating her in what his husband has just said. Mark is too cold to frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tea?” she offers in English and Mark nods, thankful. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Bring your husband a blanket, darling”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark feels ashamed to be freezing to death at 0ºC when Canada is way colder.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Sorry”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he apologizes, but his mother-in-law shakes her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be, </span>
  <em>
    <span>this weather isn’t for everyone” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mark nods again and he looks for his husband, finding out that he disappeared. He frowns, <em>how would he be able to chat with Yukhei’s mom if his official translator isn’t here?</em> </span>
  <em>
    <span>“He went with his dad, they’re bringing wood”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she seems to understand Mark’s struggle because she points at the fire, Mark nods again. “You still don’t talk much Cantonese”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“We don’t talk in Cantonese much” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he tries, hoping to get himself understood.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s ok, you can practice with me”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“My pronunciation is awful” Mark excuses himself, but his mother-in-law shakes her head again.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Let’s cook breakfast” </span>
  </em>
  <span>in case Mark doesn’t understand, she uses her hand to help her. There’s no way she would allow his son-in-law to feel out of place in her house </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You are smart, you’ll learn”</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Yukhei gets in the kitchen of his parents’ house bringing a big pile of sticks for the rustic stove, his father is following him with a smaller pile. It’s weird how the kitchen is quiet, since his mom hates silence, and she always turn on the TV for white noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What he finds, warms his heart a bit, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother is listening to Mark patiently, like she did with him when he was a toddler, telling her the story of how he caught a lizard to make it his pet. Mark seems to be struggling to find the right words to describe how he cooks (or at least tries to) eggs in a typical Canadian breakfast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She checks the tea with the side of her eye, as she corrects Mark's pronunciation and makes him repeat a word eleven times until Mark gets it right. She smiles proudly when Mark gets it, Yukhei can’t help but smile too.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yukhei leaves the pile of sticks near the stove.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother is commited to teach me your language, so I don’t feel excluded when I’m here” she looks at Mark, expecting him to say some of his new vocabulary </span>
  <em>
    <span>“She’s teaching me to cook my husband’s favorite”</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Mark blushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s weird how after that many years together and more than six months into marriage, Mark still blushes when he calls Yukhei his husband, as if he couldn’t believe it. Yukhei smiles widely because the pronuntiation was almost perfect, but not only for that. His mother looks proud (of herself and of Mark).</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s good, isn’t he?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she comments and Yukhei nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Very smart”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Indeed”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark blushes further.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Woman, stop treating Mark as a child” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yukhei’s father decides to stop them, and to do so he places a blanket over Mark’s shoulders (the most colorful blanket he could find, apparently). He wants to eat soon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s not as if they wouldn’t give us grandchildren” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mark coughs violently.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Dad! You’re embarrasing him”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“That you understood, young mister” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yukhei’s father laughs and Mark feels mortified. If only he knew more vocabulary, he could have told his father-in-law a list of reason of why that would be a terrible idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They drop the topic a second after, though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark is still amazed of how <em>rustic</em> (for the lack of a better word) the life is here. Then, when he watches Yukhei using an axe to make smaller wooden sticks, he thinks how well adapted his husband is for a zombie acopalypse (and how that compliments them perfectly, since he wouldn't be able to even pick mushrooms from the wild without getting food poisoning). There's no doubt why Yukhei is so strong.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My phone is still dead... I just don't understand how changing the glass could be that badly done that nothing is working now (no mic, no jack plug, no bluetooth, no wifi, no fingerprint reader...).<br/>I apologize for taking a lot of time in updating, but it's kind of hard without my phone :c<br/>I already lost hope in getting it back soon, so... even when it isn't at the pace I used to, I'm trying to write somewhere else.</p><p>Thank you so much to everyone for reading!<br/>As I said, I'll be trying to update somehow...<br/>Let's read us soon, shall we?<br/>Please, take care &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28958886">Soft edge</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyYellow/pseuds/rawwrrr">rawwrrr (ladyYellow)</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div></div></div>
</body>
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